Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 124 - The "Miracle on Ice" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "Like Father, Like Son:" Four-star QB Gunner Rivers, the son of NC State University football legend & eight-time NFL Pro-Bowler (and the most recent 40-year-old QB that "Almost-led-the-Colts-to-a-victory-over-the-Super-Bowl-60-Champions" & Almost-Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills) Philip Rivers, has committed to play for the Wolfpack, he announced Monday via social media - - Rivers is ESPN's No.11-ranked pocket passer and No.142 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle - - The younger, less accomplished Rivers, is now set to follow in his father's footsteps after throwing for 2,813 yards and 44 TDs to five (5) INTs in his junior season - - A 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior at Alabama's St. Michael Catholic High School, he elected to commit to his father's alma mater over reported offers from Auburn, Boston College, Miami & South Carolina, and will have some massive shoes to fill when he arrives on campus in Raliegh, NC - - Prior to playing for 17 seasons in the NFL, Philip Rivers was a four-year starter at NC State from 2000 to 2003, emerging as one of the most prolific QBs in program and ACC Conference history - as he led all FBS passers in completion percentage (72%) and was named Offensive Player of the Year during his senior season in 2003 - and Rivers' 13,848 career passing yards remain first among both NC State and ACC QBs, and ranks 13th on the NCAA's all-time passing list. . .Q: What are your thoughts on 2027 QB Gunner River's verbal commitment to play at his father and former NFL QB, Philip Rivers, alma mater?. . .NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will discuss a few of the more notable College Basketball games from across the country over the previous week, as well as to dive into any of the buzzworthy storylines surrounding the league. The following game(s) are discussed within this episode:

Friday, Feb. 20th:     No.23 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Bowling Green Falcons

Tuesday, Feb.24th:    No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Eastern Michigan Eagles

Remaining Schedule/Next Up:

Friday, Feb. 27th  No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Western Michigan Broncos

Tuesday, Mar. 3rd:       No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Toledo Rockets

Friday, Mar. 6th:         No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Ohio Bobcats    

Q: Based on the RedHawks' remaining schedule, do you think that No.21 Miami (OH) will finish off a perfect 31-0 season? Or will they drop one (or more) of their three remaining games this season?. . .

Saturday, February 21st: Potential "Final Four Preview?"  

No.4 Arizona Wildcats at No.2 Houston Cougars/Edward Jones Capital Showcase: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.3 Duke Blue Devils - - Duke's win over Michigan has propelled the Blue Devils to a familiar perch: No.1 in the AP Men's Top 25 poll after claiming 56 of the total 61 first-place votes to supplant the Wolverines, who's stay atop the standings only lasted a week. . .                               

- NCAA College Baseball: While the NCAA College Baseball season remains relatively young, what occurred on Tuesday could only be referred to as "Mid-Week Madness," after four (4) of the top six (6) ranked teams in Division I College Baseball suffered losses to unranked, in-state opponents, causing significant early-season chaos in the rankings - - This mid-week upset trend highlights the high volatility and competitiveness that is present in early-season NCAA college baseball. . .In this segment, JD & Spencer discuss the following four upset(s) that occurred on Tuesday that sent a shockwave through the sport:        

(1) Arkansas State - 12

No.6 Arkansas - 4

(2) Georgia State - 9

No.5 Georgia Tech - 4

(3) McNeese - 7

No.2 LSU - 6

(4) San Diego State - 4

No.1 UCLA - 3

- NFL - - Former Purdue & NFL star WR Rondale Moore passed away on Saturday at the age of 25, as police in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana, informed the Associated Press that Moore was found in the garage of his house with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, while his death remains under investigation - - Moore grew up in New Albany - just across the Indiana border from Louisville, Kentucky, and after committing to play college football at the University of Purdue, he was named a first-team All-American as a freshman in 2018 - - As an all-purpose player that season, Moore also won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football - - In his three (3) seasons spent with the Boilermakers, prior to turning pro, Moore racked up 1,915 receiving yards and 14 TDs while also rushing for 248 yards & three (3) rushing TDs - - In what will forever be a "Where Were You?" type moment, we can remember witnessing Rondale Moore lead the Boilermakers to what would become a legendary upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes - - A second-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, Moore had been sidelined for the past two seasons (2024, 2025) after sustaining injuries: he missed the 2024 NFL season after suffering a dislocated right knee while he was signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and he most recently spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, participating in their 2025 offseason & training camp, prior to suffering a season-ending left knee injury while returning a punt on August 9th in the team's preseason opener - - In three (3) seasons spent with the Cardinals, Moore started a total of 23 games, caught 135 receptions for 1,201 receiving yards — R.I.P. To a legend. . .The Atlanta Falcons plan to place their franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts Sr., likely keeping one of the NFL's top TEs under contract for at least one more season, a source reported to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Monday - - Franchise tag contract numbers are based on the top five (5) annual salaries at each position, and due primarily to this, Pitts stands to make about $16.32 million next season (2026), the franchise tag salary this year for TEs, according to OverTheCap.com - - Despite a record-breaking rookie season in 2021, Pitts struggled with injuries and inconsistency from 2022 to 2024, as he had 1,026 yards on 68 catches in his first season in the league - - Pitts, 25, experienced a major rebound year last season, finishing second among TEs in total receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) last season, trailing only behind Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals - - Pitts and the Falcons will have until July 15th to agree to a long-term contract or else he will have to play the 2026 season under the franchise tender, as the deadline for NFL teams to apply the franchise or transition tag is set for next Tuesday, with free agency beginning the week after. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' decision to place the franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts Sr.?. . .

- NBA - - The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of legendary coach Pat Riley outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, and the nearly 8-foot-tall, 510-pound bronze rendering features the famously stylish Riley in his preferred attire: a Giorgio Armani suit & a crocodile leather belt - - A Hall of Famer, Riley coached the "Showtime" era Lakers throughout the 1980s, who is currently the Miami Heat team president, last roamed the sidelines in 2008 after 24 seasons spent coaching in L.A., New York & Miami - - Most importantly, Riley coached the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 and won four (4) NBA championships (i.e., 1982, 1985, 1987 & 1988) - - **NOTE: Riley becomes the eighth former Laker with a statue on Star Plaza, joining Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Magic Johnson & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. . .

- MLB - - "The legaCCy Continues:" CC Sabathia's No.52 will be retired on Sept. 26th by the New York Yankees, who will dedicate a plaque in honor of the Hall of Fame pitcher at Monument Park - joining his fellow teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte - before that day's game scheduled against the Baltimore Orioles - - **NOTE: CC Sabathia will become the 24th player to have his number retired by the New York Yankees franchise, the first since Paul O'Neill was honored with the retirement of jersey No.21 in 2022 - - Other jersey numbers that are retired by the Yankees franchise include the following list (yes! The Yankees are gonna be donning triple digit jerseys VERY soon!): No.1 (Billy Martin, 1986), No.2 (Derek Jeter, 2017), No.3 (Babe Ruth, 1948), No.4 (Lou Gehrig, 1939), No.5 (Joe DiMaggio, 1952), No.6 (Joe Torre, 2014), No.7 (Mickey Mantle, 1969), No.8 (not retired - but the # jersey is set aside for Yogi Berra & Bill Dickey), No.9 (Roger Maris, 1984), No.10 (Phil Rizzuto, 1985), No.15 (Thurman Munson, 1979), No.16 (Whitey Ford, 1974), No.20 (Jorge Posada, 2015), No.21 (Paul O'Neill, 2022), No.23 (Don Mattingly, 1997), No.32 (Elston Howard, 1984), No.37 (Casey Stengel, 1970), No.42 (Mariano Rivera, 2013), No.42** (Jackie Robinson, 1997), No.44 (Reggie Jackson, 1993), No.46 (Andy Pettitte, 2015), No.49 (Ron Guidry, 2003), No.51 (Bernie Williams, 2015) and No.52 (CC Sabathia, 2026) - - Sabathia was a six-time MLB All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with Cleveland and a World Series title in 2009, his first season with the Yankees after signing as a free agent - - He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, which was third among LHPs behind Randy Johnson & Steve Carlton, throughout his 19-year MLB career, including a 134-88 record with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts for the Yankees - - He was also elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2025. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the New York Yankees' announcement that they will retire CC Sabathia's No.52 jersey later this year?. . .

- Miscellaneous - - "Play Free Bird:" For almost 58 minutes, the U.S. Women's Hockey Team looked to be on the verge of an epic collapse on the grandest stage: heading into Thursday's Olympic gold-medal game, the Americans had gone undefeated, scoring at least five (5) goals against every opponent, including a 5-0 rout of the Canadian Team in the preliminary round - - Yep, Team USA trailed Canada for most of the gold-medal game, down by a score of 1-0, to a team that had fully embraced the "underdog" mentality. . .but then, Lyndrd Skynyrd's original lineup showed up on the ice, and played the most impactful rendition of their eight-minute ballad, Free Bird, and then, in the blades of glory, it was Team USA captain Hilary Knight, who made U.S. national team history, by scoring her 15th career goal in the Winter Olympics, and the dominant American team that we'd seen for the previous two weeks in Milan, had finally showed up. . .**PSA: No! Lyndrd Skynyrd's original lineup - or any lineup for that matter - did not show up, and the song, Free Bird, was not played (although it should have been!) - - In the end, Team USA overpowered Canada 2-1 in OT to regain the Olympic title, completing a 7-0 perfect run through the tournament - - To their credit, Team Canada came out playing the best hockey of the entire tournament, outshooting the Americans 8-6 in the first period, as they executed their game plan - to take away time and space & make life difficult for Team USA's skilled roster - nearly to perfection: Just 54 seconds into the second period, and while being short-handed, Canada's fourth-line center Kristin O'Neill opened the scoring, ending the Americans' long shutout streak at 352 minutes & 17 seconds - as this was the first bit of adversity the Americans had faced all tournament, as well as the first time they had trailed - - The Americans did a much better job of spacing the floor in the second period, as they put up 14 shots on Canadian goalkeeper, Ann-Renee Desbiens, whereas the third & final period was incredibly tense - as we have come to expect for it to be when it is between Team USA & Team Canada: After Erin Ambrose was boarded by Britta Curl-Salemme, Canada received a power-play opportunity, but failed to score on a U.S penalty kill that remained perfect throughout the tournament, and it was this, that set up Hilary Knight's final (and quite possibly the greatest) moment, a deflection on Edwards' point shot to tie the game with 2:04 minutes remaining - - **NOTE: The U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team hasn't lost a game in a major international competition since the 2024 Women's World Championship gold medal match, in which Canada defeated the Americans 6-5 in OT - - To put it into perspective just how dominant this U.S. Women's Hockey Team has been, just take a look at their overall record over the past year: Team USA has dismantled opponents 84-15, including 33-2 at the Winter Olympics. . .Q: What were your thoughts on the U.S Olympic Women's Hockey Team capturing gold and defeating Canada as well as completing a perfect 7-0 run through the tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics?. . ."This One's for Johnny:" The Winter Olympics Men's Hockey gold-medal game promised to be an epic showdown between the U.S and Canada. .And it Delivered: Following goals by Team USA's Matt Boldy and Canada's Cale Makar in regulation - as well as a slew of incredible saves by Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck & Canada's Jordan Binnington - the gold-medal match went into OT Sunday - - In that extra session, which features a 3-on-3 format, Jack Hughes took a pass from Zach Werenski & buried it past Binnington, giving the U.S. a 2-1 victory and its' first gold medal in Men's Ice Hockey since 1980 (it's a full-circle moment! - the same year that the "Miracle on Ice" occurred!) - - Shortly after winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the American players brought out the late Johnny Gaudreau's Team USA jersey on the ice during their celebration - as well as his children. . . - - Remember the Name: Connor H-E-L-L-E-B-U-Y-C-K! (it's alot easier if you're an NHL fan!) - The Winnipeg Jets star, who is the reigning NHL MVP & the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender - - and there's no doubt that this guy cemented himself as the best netminder in the world with a gold-medal game performance for the ages: **NOTE: Hellebuyck stopped 41 of 42 shots against Canada, 27 of which came from the slot & 17 of them coming from the inner slot, according to Hockey Stats- - At the end of the day, Hellebuyck was the story of the gold-medal game for Team USA, whereas Jack Hughes was the story of the tournament for the Americans, and after some pretty harsh criticism, it was only appropriate for Hughes to be the "savior" that came up clutch to deliver the gold for the Americans. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Team USA men's hockey team coming away with the gold medal after defeating Canada 2-1 on Saturday?. . ."A Golden Games:" The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan came to a close on Sunday after 19 days of world-class competition across northern Italy, featuring more than 3,000 athletes from over 93 National Olympic Committees - - In an Winter Games defined by breakthrough performances & displays of resilience, the 232 members of Team USA made history, surpassing the nation's all-time Olympic Winter Games gold-medal record (12), besting the previous record of 10 set in Salt Lake City in 2002 - - **NOTE: The U.S. earned a total of 33 medals (12G, 12S, 9B), surpassing its previous record of 28 (Sochi 2014) for an Olympic Winter Games held outside of North America - - Team USA's 33-medal haul placed them second in the standings in both total & gold medals, with a total of 85 U.S. athletes contributing to the overall medal count, and with 58 stepping onto the Olympic podium for the very first time - - Total Medal Count: As for the overall or total medal count following the closure of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Norway dominated, finishing in first place with a record 41 total medals (18G, 12S, 11B), with the United States finishing second, followed by host nation Italy with 30 medals (10G, 6S, 14B) - - In fourth place was Germany with 26 total medals (8G, 10S, 8B), and in fifth place was Japan with 24 medals (5G, 7S, 12B) - - and rounding out the top ten, it's France at No.6 (23 medals), Switzerland at No.7 (23 medals), Canada at No.8 (21 medals), the Netherlands at No.9 (20 medals), and finally, Sweden at No.10 with 18 total medals. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 123 - "The 3ARNHARDT Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAAM College Basketball Week in Review: Week 15: In this first segment, JD & Spencer discuss & review a few of the most notable NCAAM college basketball games from across the league, as well as evaluate some of the most buzzworthy storylines of Week 15 of the NCAA D-I Men's College Basketball season; in particular, the following NCAAM college basketball games are discussed in greater detail:

Friday, February 13th:                No.23 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Ohio Bobcats

Tuesday, February 17th:            No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. UMass "The Race to a Perfect Season:" Miami (Ohio) remains the lone unbeaten team in NCAA D-I Men's College Basketball after winning their 26th straight game over UMass on Tuesday night, 86-77. . .On the docket, the RedHawks' remaining schedule includes the following matchups:

Miami (OH) vs. Bowling Green (H)

Miami (OH) at EMU (A)

Miami (OH) at WMU (A)

Miami (OH) vs. Toledo (H)

Miami (OH) at Ohio (A)

Q: Based on the RedHawks' remaining schedule, do you think that No.22 Miami (Ohio) will pull off what many will consider to be an "improbably perfect" 31-0 season? Or will the RedHawks drop at least one of their final five games to close out the 2025/2026 college basketball season?. . .

Saturday, February 14th:              No.17 St. John's Red Storm at Providence Friars: Guard Dylan Darling recorded 23 points & eight (8) rebounds as No.17 St. John's scored eight (8) straight points following a massive brawl that resulted in six (6) player ejections to take the lead and earn its' 11th straight victory, a 79-69 victory over Big East foe, Providence, on Saturday - - Forward Bryce Hopkins had nine (9) points & nine (9) rebounds for the Red Storm (20-5, 13-1 Big East), and the ex-Friars star was in the middle of it all when he was taken down by a hard foul with 14:25 left and Providence (11-15, 4-11 Big East) up 40-39 - - Hopkins, who spent two seasons as one of Providence's top players before tearing his ACL in 2023-24 and transferring to St. John's, was excessively booed during warmups & the Providence student section cheered after each unsuccessful shot attempt - - The Friars were up by one point prior to the bedlam eruption in Amica Mutual Pavilion less than six (6) minutes into the second half of the game - as Friars' graduate forward Duncan Powell committed a Flagrant 2 foul on a driving Hopkins, which led to the fight that resulted in six (6) of the game's seven (7) ejections, that included four (4) St. John's players & two Providence players - - Following a stoppage in play that lasted close to 20 minutes while the officials sifted through the punishments, Rick Pitino's squad took control of the game & took down Providence 79-69 in a testy, Big East contest - - The seventh player ejection came later in the second half when Providence's Jamier Jones was booted from the game after being called for a Flagrant-2 foul committed on St. John's star forward, Zuby Ejiofor. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the six-player scuffle/brawl that took place on Saturday in the St. John's-Providence matchup?. . .

Monday, February 16th:             No.2 Houston Cougars at No.6 Iowa State Cyclones: Guard Nate Heise hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Tamin Lipsey came up with a huge offensive rebound in the final seconds to cap No.6 Iowa State's rally in a 70-67 victory over Big 12 Conference leader, No.2 Houston, on Monday night - - Heise was 3-for-3 from three-point range, just hours after his sister, Taylor Heise, scored a goal to help the U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey team defeat the Swedish national team, 5-0, to reach the gold-medal game in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan - - The Cougars had two chances to tie the game or possibly take the lead, but was called for a shot-clock violation with 43 seconds to play, then Houston forward Chris Cenac Jr. missed a shot with four (4) seconds remaining on the clock - - The Cyclones (23-3, 10-3 Big 12) closed the game on a 17-4 run to take down a second top-10 team in three (3) days, after Iowa State defeated the No.8 Kansas Jayhawks 74-56 on the Saturday - - Meanwhile, the Cougars (23-3, 11-2 Big 12) had their six-game winning streak snapped, and their stronghold over the Big 12 Conference lead, was cut to just a half-game over No.4 Arizona for the top spot, as they head into a pivotal matchup versus the Wildcats at home this upcoming weekend - whereas with the win, Iowa State is now third in the Big 12 Conference standings, one game behind Houston. . .

Tuesday, February 17th:                 No.1 Michigan Wolverines at No.7 Purdue Boilermakers: Elliot Cadeau scored 14 of his 17 total points in the second half Tuesday night, and Aday Mara added 10 points & 11 boards to send the No.1 Wolverines past the Boilermakers, 91-80 - - Trey McKinney, Yaxel Lendeborg, and L.J. Cason each had 13 points for the Wolverines, who won their 11th straight game and took a big step towards capturing their first outright Big Ten regular-season title in five (5) years - - The win came less than 24 hours after Michigan (25-1,15-1 Big Ten) moved into the nation's top spot or No.1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, for the first time since January 2013 - - While the support system was effective, it was time for the 'big man' to shine - all 7-foot-3 of him, as it was Aday Mara's early tone-setting presence that helped the Wolverines turn the tables on Purdue's usually dominant front line - as Mara made each of his first four (4) shots on the way to a 10-point, 8-rebound first half, yet he spent a majority of the second half in foul trouble, finishing 4 of 6 from the field as Michigan finished with a 39-31 rebounding advantage - - Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Boilermakers on a night in which most of his teammates struggled from the field - - All-America guard Braden Smith added 20 points as the Boilermakers (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) had their four-game winning streak snapped, and they now trail Michigan by 3 ½ games in the Big Ten Conference title race. . .

Wednesday, February 18th:              No.20 Arkansas Razorbacks at No.25 Alabama Crimson Tide: In what is being referred to as the College Basketball 'Game of the Year,' Houston Mallette hit a 3-pointer with 51 seconds remaining in the second OT period, and No.25 Alabama survived one of the most dominant single-game performances of the season, to edge the visiting Razorbacks 117-115 on Wednesday night in Coleman Coliseum - - **NOTE: Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 49 points - the second most points recorded by a college basketball player this season - while playing all 50 minutes, however, Acuff did miss pivotal jumpers at the end of both extra frames that would have given the Razorbacks (19-7, 9-4 SEC) a short-handed victory on the road- - Arkansas used a seven-man rotation throughout regulation, but had four (4) players foul out in OT, including Acuff Jr., which forced HC John Calipari to turn to two players who had played a combined 35 minutes all season - - It was just the opening to the extra period that Alabama (19-7, 9-4 SEC) needed to pull out a game that will go down as an instant classic - - Star guard Labaron Philon scored 35 points, while big man Aiden Sherrell added 26 - both career highs - to help the Crimson Tide win its' fifth consecutive victory - - Arkansas, meanwhile, lost for the first time in its' last four (4) games played, and Acuff's 49 points are the second most by an Arkansas player, and the most points scored by an Arkansas player ever in SEC Conference play - - Alabama trailed by 14 points in the second half, but an 18-4 run by the Crimson Tide, tied the game, yet they moved in front in the waning seconds of regulation, until Darius Acuff Jr.'s clutch 3-pointer tied the game, 95-95, to send the game into OT - - Meleek Thomas (24) and Billy Richmond III (20) also scored in double figures for the Razorbacks prior to fouling out in the extra period(s), whereas Alabama's Aiden Sherrell & Amari Allen came up big on the boards, recording 13 and 11 boards, respectively - and guard Aden Holloway also finished with 15 points for Nate Oats' squad. . .Q: What are your thoughts on what was, to date, the college basketball "Game of the Year?". . .

- "[No More Pooty] Tang:" Kansas State fired men's basketball coach Jerome Tang for cause, the school announced on Sunday night - - The last-place Wildcats, at the time of Tang's firing, had recorded only one win in Big 12 Conference play this season, and Tang, in his fourth year with the program, lashed out at his players following a blowout loss at home to Cincinnati on Wednesday evening - - The basis for the 'for-cause' firing, per ESPN, is the language that was included in Tang's contract, which specifically references any activity that brings "public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule" to Kansas State - - This is in reference to Tang's postgame comments following the Wildcats' loss to Cincinnati: "These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the University, I'm embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is ridiculous. . .I have no answer. No words." - - Tang, however, took offense to the University's decision to fire him, responding with "I am deeply disappointed with the University's decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination," he told ESPN in a statement. "I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as a head coach." - - In 2023, Jerome Tang signed a contract extension with Kansas State to remain with the program through the 2029-30 season, and there is still $18.67 million remaining on that deal, as he plans to fight the for-cause firing, and has since hired attorneys, Tom Mars & Bennett Speyer, to represent him against the University - - The Wildcats dropped to 1-11 in Big 12 Conference play with a 78-64 loss at No.3 Houston on Saturday, as they played the game without player names on the back of their jerseys, just three (3) days after that rant by Jerome Tang following the Cincinnati loss went viral - - Prior to this season, Tang had been relatively successful in his tenure with the program, as he led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in his first season, recording 26 wins, which was the program's most since Bruce Weber's first season in 2013 - - In his second season with the program, Kansas State struggled in conference play, as the Wildcats missed out on a berth to the NCAA Tournament, and then last season, they finished with a 16-17 overall record, but Kansas State definitely bottomed out this season, sitting at 10-15 overall & tied for last place in the Big 12 Conference. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Kansas State's "for-cause" firing of Jerome Tang? How do you anticipate this story playing out: do you expect that Kansas State will be forced to honor Tang's $18 million contract or is this particular case most likely to be settled outside of the courtroom?. . .**UPDATE: Following the for-cause dismissal of coach Jerome Tang, and in their first game under interim HC Matthew Driscoll, the Kansas State Wildcats snapped a six-game losing streak by knocking off the visiting Baylor Bears 90-74, improving to 11-15 (2-11) in Big 12 Conference play - - G/F PJ Haggerty led the Wildcats with 34 points, yet the focal player of the night was Nate Johnson - who had a masterful performance - by finishing the game with 33 points, 9 assists & 6 steals - - The Wildcats also shot the ball well, finishing the game making 56% of their shots, and locking down the Bears defensively, by holding Baylor to just 40% shooting from the field and 12% from beyond the arc - - In all, Kansas State played a complete, all-around game, in one of its' top performances of the season as a unit. . ."An Odd Exchange:" UCLA suffered its second-straight 20+ point defeat on Tuesday night at No.15 Michigan State, a game that saw Bruins HC Mick Cronin seemingly ejected one of his own players: With the Bruins trailing 77-50 and with 4:26 left to play, UCLA center Steven Jamerson II, a former Michigan State student (and walk-on to the Spartans' basketball team), was called for a flagrant after fouling Carson Cooper from behind on a dunk attempt - - Cronin then sent Jamerson to the locker room - - Jamerson's hard foul wasn't the only development that had Cronin riled up Tuesday night: During the game, Michigan State's student section chanted the name of Bruins center, Xavier Booker, a former five-star recruit who signed with Michigan State prior to transferring to UCLA in April after two underwhelming seasons spent in East Lansing - Booker finished the game with two points & two rebounds in 25 minutes played - - Cronin had a fiery postgame exchange with a reporter who asked him about the Booker chants, saying: "I could give a rat's ass about the other team's student section. I would like to give you a kudos for the worst question I've ever been asked," Cronin said. "You really think I care about the other team's student section?" - - Cronin would then go on to accuse the reporter of "raising your voice at me. Yeah, you are. Everybody is standing here listening to you. Everybody. This is on camera. They can hear you. I answered the question.". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the odd exchange that occurred between UCLA HC Mick Cronin and center Steven Jamerson II? Cronin & the reporter at the postgame press conference?

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football: The Mid-American (MAC) Conference has elected to add FCS program Sacramento State into the league as a football-only member beginning next season - - Sacramento State will join the conference starting July 1st, the school announced on Saturday, and they will not be eligible for the postseason for two years as it transitions from the FCS to the FBS level - - The cost of entrance is expected to be around $18 million, sources said, with a total cost of entry being around $23 million, as they are required to pay an additional $5 million to the NCAA to move up to the FBS level - - The move will keep the MAC Conference at 13 schools, as Sacramento State will replace Northern Illinois, which is leaving for the Mountain West Conference in football next year - - According to a Twitter/X post, the annual MACtion tilt between Ball State and Sacramento State will now be known as "The Ball-Sac Classic," as presented by Dick's - - **NOTE: This marks a significant move for Sacramento State, as it will be the first West Coast program to make the jump to the highest level of football in well over a generation. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the MAC Conference's addition of Sacramento State as a football-only member, beginning next season? Would you advocate for the annual "Ball-Sac Classic?". . ."Purple Reign:" NCAA Division-III program, Curry College, and their athletics department announced on Wednesday that their Walter M. Katz Field will be re-turfed entirely in Curry Purple in the summer of 2026 - - As the home site of the Colonels' football program, men's & women's soccer and lacrosse teams, this will certainly turn a few heads - - **NOTE: It was Boise State University that first installed the blue turf field in 1986, as they own the trademark for not only a blue field, but any non-green field - - The other six college teams with colored fields actually pay a yearly fee to Boise State (i.e., Red at EWU, Teal at Coastal Carolina, etc.) but we've never encountered a purple field. .until now! - - Now, Curry College will also be held responsible for providing a yearly fee to Boise State Athletics Department for their non-green field trademark. . .Q: What are your thoughts on NCAA D-III program, Curry College, and their plan to re-turf their field the color purple?. . .

- NFL - - The Miami Dolphins are releasing two-time Pro Bowl veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb, a source confirmed to ESPN, signifying a major step toward a franchise rebuild - - Chubb missed the entire 2024 NFL season but returned with a team-high 8.5 sacks in 2025, playing all 17 games - - and as a team captain, he won the local media's "Good Guy" award for his consistent availability and professionalism with the press - - **NOTE: He also represented a $31 million cap hit in 2026, he turns 30 years old in June and has torn his ACL in both knees during his eight-year NFL career - - The move represents the first major roster decision under new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, and believe us when we say, it was just the first of many. . .In addition to the release of OLB Bradley Chubb, the Miami Dolphins also released WR Tyreek "Cheetah" Hill in a flurry of roster moves Monday that will clear significant salary cap space, and officially make Hill a free agent for the first time in his career - - The eight-time Pro Bowler is currently recovering from a dislocated knee and torn ACL injury suffered in Week 4 last season, so it is unclear when or if Hill will play next season - - Hill would have had $11 million become fully guaranteed this month and his release will reportedly save the Dolphins approximately $22.8 million - - In 54 games played for the franchise, Hill had 340 receptions, 4,733 receiving yards, 28 TDs and was first-team All-Pro in two seasons (2022 and 2023) - - Should Hill choose to return for season No.11 in the NFL next season, he's be 32 years old by the time the 2026 campaign begins - but as he posted on social media "The Cheetah don't slow down. Ever. So to everyone wondering what's next. . .just wait on it. The Cheetah will be back. Born Again,". . .The Dolphins also released WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and guard James Daniels. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dolphins' decision to release WR Tyreek Hill among other roster moves completed on Monday? Will Tyreek Hill play in the NFL next season?. . .The "Indiana Bears?:" The Chicago Bears' endeavor for a new stadium took a "meaningful step" foward on Thursday, opening the door for a storied franchise to leave Illinois to potentially build a new, domed stadium in Northwest Indiana - - Indiana lawmakers in the state House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Indiana State Bill 27 by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday that would clear a path for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana - - The Bears' current lease at Soldier Field - the stadium where they currently play their home games, which is owned by the city of Chicago (IL) - runs through 2033. . .Q: What would a move from Illinois to Indiana do to the Chicago Bears' legacy? Thoughts on the possibility that this actually happens?. .

- NBA - - The "Point God" Chris Paul announced his retirement from the NBA via a social media post on Friday - the announcement comes after Paul previously said he would retire at the end of this season, his 21st NBA season - - Throughout his career, Paul played for New Orleans, Houston, OKC, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio, and the Los Angeles Clippers - - Paul, 40, is a 12-time NBA All-Star, an 11-time member of All-NBA teams, a nine-time All-Defensive teams member, the 2006 Rookie of the Year, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team - - **NOTE: He was also a four-time All-NBA first-team selection, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists and 2,728 steals - and he was also the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists - - Paul is one of seven (7) players to have an NBA career span of at least 21 seasons - - Although Paul never obtained an NBA title, he is just fine, as he is one of six (6) players in NBA history to have reached $400 million in career earnings - - CP3 made the announcement after being waived by the Toronto Raptors on Friday after being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers, following a fallout with HC Tyronn Lue, as the Raptors knew Paul would never play in Toronto. . .Q: Are you surprised that CP3 did not sign with a different NBA franchise to finish out his 21st career season?. . ."The 2026 NBA All-Star Game:" In this section, JD & Spencer discuss the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, its' new round-robin format, its' ratings - - as well as the outcome for both the 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest & the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest - - **Be Sure to Tune in!!. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 122 - The "Whack Heard 'Round The World" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Charles Bediako's college basketball career is officially over, Again. .after an Alabama circuit judge denied his motion appeal for a preliminary injunction on Monday, ending the 7-foot center's season with Nate Oats & the Alabama Crimson Tide - - Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Daniel F. Pruet halted Bediako's bid to regain eligibility after he left Alabama early to enter the 2023 NBA Draft, and although he went undrafted, he did sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs & played the past three (3) seasons in the NBA's developmental league (i.e., G-League) - moves that ultimately disqualified him from collegiate competition, according to the NCAA - - Judge Pruet ruled that Bediako did not have a "reasonable expectation," that he would be allowed to return to college basketball when no other player has been granted such eligibility under similar circumstances, although Amari Bailey, the former UCLA standout guard, who was drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft & physically competed in 10 NBA games throughout his two-year career, and is now attempting to regain eligibility to play at the collegiate level - - The Bediako ruling, whether you agree or disagree with the result, should serve as a precedent for the NCAA and college sports universally: in other words, if you give up eligibility and decide to turn pro, and are willingly drafted, you are not entitled to return to college sports just because you aren't the 'star player,' or if you spend more time on the bench than you do on the court (or field, etc.) - - Shortly after the ruling on Monday, NCAA President Charlie Baker released a statement, stating that he was glad that the court "upheld the rules of our members,". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Tuscaloosa County (AL) Circuit Judge's ruling to deny Charles Bediako's appeal for NCAA eligibility? Should this particular ruling serve as a precedent for other prospects that are attempting to regain eligibility at the NCAA (or college) level?. . .In this next section, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the more impactful and/or notable NCAA men's college basketball games from across the country that occurred this past weekend, including, but not limited to the following matchups: the Seth Trimble "buzzer beater" in the heated rivalry between No.4 Duke Blue Devils and No.14 North Carolina Tar Heels (Saturday 2/7); the Darryn Peterson-less & No.9 Kansas Jayhawks pull off the upset over No.1 and previously unbeaten Arizona Wildcats (Monday 2/9). . .

- NFL - - "The 15th Annual NFL Honors:" On Thursday, and three (3) days prior to Super Bowl 60, the NFL wrapped up the 2025 season by recognizing its' top individual performers, at the 15th Annual NFL Honors Ceremony, which were hosted by actor Jon Hamm, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, where it once again served as the forum for the league to reveal the winners of its' most prestigious awards: this included such awards as the Offensive & Defensive Player of the Year as well as the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and finally, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, which were presented by a variety of celebrities (i.e., Druski) and NFL Hall of Fame legends (i.e., Jerry Rice) - - The Pro Football Hall of Fame also unveiled its five-person class, which had already been a topic of speculation & controversy after it was revealed last week that Bill Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft & former New York Giants & Super-Bowl winning QB Eli Manning, had been omitted as first-ballot Hall of Famers - - Let's examine the outcome & discuss our thoughts regarding each individual award that was presented at this year's Honors' ceremony:

AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett - - Garrett, the preeminent EDGE/pass rusher of his generation, he took advantage of the 2025 league year, turning it into a record-breaking season, which subsequently led to him winning his second DPOY award - - Garrett's 23 sacks broke the single-season record that was previously shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan & Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt - - **NOTE: Garrett achieved this feat despite being double-teamed or chipped on 39.5% of his pass rushes this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, more than any other pass rusher in the NFL - - Also, his 33 TFL were the second-most by a player since the year 2000, trailing only J.J. Watt's 39 in 2012. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns DE Myles Garrett being awarded the 2025 AP NFL DPOY award? Do you think Myles Garrett will go down in NFL history as the most proficient/explosive EDGE to ever play in the league?. . .

AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan - - McMillan referred to his rookie season in the NFL as "average," but the Panthers wideout was anything but that - - **NOTE: The No.8 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft finished the regular season with 70 catches on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven (7) TDs to lead all rookies in receiving yards, and to set a Carolina Panthers franchise record in that category - - Twenty-seven (27) of his receptions were considered explosive (16+ yards), more than any other rookie in the league - - and quite possibly, the most important aspect of McMillan's presence in Carolina, is that QB Bryce Young, for the first time in his three (3) seasons spent in the league, had a true WR1, which allowed him to flourish statistically - as well as to assist the Panthers in advancing to the NFL postseason. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OROY Award? Do you expect that he will continue to be a major threat through the air for the Carolina Panthers for the near foreseeable future?. . .

2025 AP NFL Protector of the Year Award: The 2025 and inaugural AP NFL Protector of the Year Award was presented to Chicago Bears Guard Joe Thuney - - Thuney earned first-team All-Pro honors for a fourth straight season, and paid immediate dividends for the Bears' revamped offensive line after being traded from Kansas City to Chicago in March of this year - - The 33-year-old LG did not allow a single sack & logged the second-most snaps of any of the other players on the Bears' offense (99.57%), as QB Caleb Williams took 44 fewer sacks in 2025 than in his rookie season, in large part due to the notable improvements Chicago made along the interior of the offensive line - - **NOTE: Thuney was tied for the lead among all interior offensive linemen in pass block win rate this season by sustaining his blocks for 2.5 seconds 98% of the time - - Shortly after LT Ozzy Trapilo (rookie) went down after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs, Thuney moved to LT for Chicago's divisional round matchup against the Rams, which marked the second consecutive postseason in which Thuney was moved to play at the tackle position. . .

2025 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year Award: The 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award was presented to San Francisco 49ers do-it-all RB Christian McCaffrey - - After bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a right knee injury limited him to just four (4) games in the 2024 NFL season, Niners RB Christian McCaffrey returned to his usual, versatile self in 2025 - - **NOTE: This is McCaffrey's first Comeback Player of the Year award after he finished second in 2022 - - He earned it by virtue of his 2,126 scrimmage yards (second in the NFL) and 17 total TDs (3rd) - and perhaps, more important, he started all 19 games for San Francisco (including the playoffs) - - In the 2025 regular season, McCaffrey had a league-high 413 touches, which is 44 more than the next closest player, and the highest total of his nine (9) seasons in the league - - In the offseason, McCaffrey spent much of his time rehabbing from his knee injury and strengthening his Achilles to take on the rigors of another season - - and in 2025, as injuries mounted around him, he was the one constant in San Francisco's offense, playing a pivotal role in helping the Niners finish the regular season with a 12-5 record, and reach the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Niners' RB Christian McCaffrey being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award?. . .

2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, who in his first season with the franchise, led the Patriots to its' 12th Super Bowl appearance - - Taking over a team that won just four (4) games in each of the past two seasons, Vrabel directed the Patriots to a 14-3 record at the conclusion of the regular season - - **NOTE: The 10-game improvement tied the 1999 Colts and 2008 Dolphins for the best turnaround in NFL history, as he joins George Seifert (1989, Niners) & Jim Caldwell (2009, Colts) as the only coaches to win 14 games in their first year with an NFL franchise - - Players credited Vrabel, 50, with instilling a culture that placed a heavy emphasis on connectivity, and one such way that he did that, was by introducing his "4 H's" in the spring, where each coach & player shared their history, hero, heartbreak and hope in front of the entire team. . .Q: What are your thoughts on New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award?. . .

2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year: The 2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, as he was recognized for transforming the Patriots' offense into a top six unit in the league in total, passing, and rushing yards, while also helping to develop second-year QB Drake Maye - - In returning to New England for his third separate stint as the OC, the 49-year-old McDaniels had spent 2024 out of the NFL after being fired as the Raiders HC in October 2023 - - His work with Maye this season has been exemplary, helping the second-year QB develop into a bonafide MVP candidate, as the two spent the spring getting to know each other, which ultimately led to the QB finishing the 2025 season ranked first in completion percentage (72%), QBR (77.1) and yards per attempt (8.93) - - **NOTE: The Patriots' offense under McDaniels, which was just the second team in the league since 2000 to open a season with rookies starting at LT (Will Campbell) and LG (Jared Wilson), and finished the regular season ranked third in total yards per game (379.4). . .

2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award:The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns LB Carson Schwesinger - - On a defense that saw DE Myles Garrett break the single-season sack record, it was difficult to ignore Schwesinger - - **NOTE: The No.33 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Schwesinger led all rookies in tackles (146) and TFLs (11), and he tied for third in INTs (2) - - A former walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger wore a helmet with the easily identifiable green dot, serving as the signal-caller for the league's fourth-best team in total defense. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns LB Carson Schwesinger being awarded the 2025 AP DROY?. . .

2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as the former Ohio St. wideout played his way into the conversation of the NFL's best WRs with the most prolific season a Seahawks pass catcher has ever had: **NOTE: Smith-Njigba's 1,793 receiving yards led the NFL & set a franchise record, and he scored 10 TDs & finished second among all players in yards per target at 10.9 on his way to making the Pro Bowl & being named a first-team All-Pro- - and, he recorded these stats, meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, were the NFL's most run-heavy offense in the league, with a designed rush rate of 47.6%. . .Q: What are your thoughts on JSN being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OPOY Award? Were you surprised in the slightest bit that JSN won the Award?. . .

2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award: The 2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award was presented to Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford - - At the ripe age of 37, and in his 17th NFL season, Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707), TDs (46) and TDs-to-INTs ratio (5.8) - - He threw for 313 more passing yards & 15 more TDs than MVP runner-up, and New England Patriots QB Drake Maye - - **NOTE: Stafford's 2025 season was the eighth time in NFL history that a QB threw for at least 4,500 yards and 45 TDs in a single season, according to ESPN Research - where six (6) of the previous seven (7) QBs to do so were awarded the NFL MVP Award, with the only exception being Drew Brees in 2011, as QB Aaron Rodgers also reached those thresholds that season - - Stafford went eight (8) consecutive games without throwing an INT in the middle of the 2025 season, which is incredibly difficult to do - - and during that particular stretch, Stafford threw 28 straight TDs, and according to Elias, that was the longest streak of passing TDs without an INT by any player since play-by-play was first tracked in 1978 - - Prior to stepping down from the stage, and after Stafford was presented with the 2025 MVP Award, Stafford took the time to make a major announcement: he will be returning for the 2026 NFL season as he embarks on his 18th season in the league. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Rams QB Matthew Stafford being awarded the 2025 NFL MVP Award? Thoughts or input on Stafford's announcement that he will return for the Rams next season?. . .

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, which was announced on Thursday night as part of the NFL Honors ceremony, included the following former NFL players: (1) QB Drew Brees, who is one (of two) NFL QBs to throw for more than 80,000 career yards. . .(2) WR Larry Fitzgerald, who finished his career second only to Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in career receptions and receiving yards; and joining them will be. . .(3) LB Luke Kuechly and (4) Kicker Adam Vinatieri, and finally (5) RB Roger Craig, one of three (3) Senior finalists, will also be in the 2026 Hall of Fame class. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026? Do you question as to why these particular five players are eligible for HOF enshrinement, and Bill Belichick is not?. . .

- Atlanta Falcons rookie LB James Pearce Jr. allegedly crashed his vehicle into another that was being driven by WNBA player Rickea Jackson multiple times & struck a police officer with the vehicle while evading arrest, according to a criminal complaint obtained by ESPN from the Miami-Dade County (FL) state attorney's office - - Pearce was arrested Saturday in Florida on five (5) felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking & aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer - - Pearce was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Sunday night after posting a $20,500 bond - - Jackson informed police that she and Pearce had previously dated for approximately three (3) years, but recently ended their relationship - - Jackson, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks, told police that she saw Pearce following her car in a white Lamborghini SUV on Saturday morning - - When Jackson's car stopped at a red light, Pearce got out of his vehicle and attempted to open her car door on the driver's side – Jackson accelerated away & started driving toward the Doral (Florida) Police Department – Pearce reentered his vehicle and continued following her, and during the drive to the police station, Jackson said Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle,” with his SUV – As she got to the intersection near the police station, Jackson said Pearce cut her off with his car and when she attempted to back out and get away, he used his car to collide with hers head-on - - Doral PD responded to the scene after Jackson called - - and according to the affidavit, they saw Pearce standing on the outside of his SUV on the driver's side with the door open – An officer pulled a gun on Pearce and ordered him to get on the ground, yet Pearce got back in his car & closed the door - - The officer opened the door, but Pearce shut it again, locked it & drove away - - While Pearce was driving away, the SUV struck an officer in his left knee, as the affidavit describes it as “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.” - - Police followed Pearce's vehicle in cars until Pearce crashed at an intersection, at which point, Pearce then got out of his car & fled on foot - - Officers were able to catch up with him, though Pearce “began to resist arrest by tensing his arms and not allowing officers to apprehend him.” - - The affidavit says Pearce was “triaged on scene” and later taken to Jackson West Medical Center for further assessment, and after which, he spent Saturday night and most of the day Sunday in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Corrections Center - - Pearce is facing two felony counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a felony count of aggravated stalking – Other charges include fleeing and eluding police officers and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer - - also felonies - - and a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence to his person - - In response to the incident, the Atlanta Falcons issued a statement Saturday night saying they were “gathering more information.” - - **NOTE: Pearce, who finished third in AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting at NFL Honors on Thursday, set a Falcons rookie record with a team-leading 10.5 sacks in 2025. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' James Pearce Jr. situation? Should the NFL franchise consider releasing the rookie LB?. . ."Super Bowl LX Review & Recap:" In this particular discussion segment, JD & Spencer provide a detailed review of Super Bowl 60 as well as a recap of the halftime show. . .**Be Sure to Tune in for the Tradition's Finest Super Bowl LX Review. . .

- NFL (cont'd) - - Klint Kubiak just won the Super Bowl, but unlike his fellow Seahawks, he is not headed to Disney World. . .Nah, Kubiak is going to Las Vegas, Sin City, baby!. . The NFL Network interviewed the Seahawks OC in the aftermath of Seattle's dominant 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday night, and in the post-game interview, he confirmed what might've been the worst kept secret in football. . . .that he's leaving Seattle to take over as the next HC of the Las Vegas Raiders after signing a five-year deal with the franchise, and he is "very excited to get to work!" - - Kubiak didn't volunteer the information when asked an open-ended question, but when pressed, he spilled the beans: "You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas, I'm fired up about it," Kubiak said. "Hell yeah, I'm going! Of course I'm going!" - - however, the news has essentially been known for a week now, as Kubiak and the Raiders reportedly reached an agreement on a deal on Feb.1, but since Kubiak was the OC of an NFL franchise that was preparing to play in the Super Bowl, neither he nor the Raiders could confirm their partnership - - And while Kubiak is highly unlikely to return to the Super Bowl next season, there's a reason for excitement for the Raiders franchise, who are coming off a 3-14 campaign in 2025 - as there's a decent chance that Heisman Trophy winner & national champion-winning QB Fernando Mendoza will play for the "Black & Grey" next season. . .Q: What overall grade would you assess the Las Vegas Raiders' hire of Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next HC?. . .

- NBA - - Prior to the Detroit Pistons' 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, a fight between both sides in the 3rd QTR, resulted in four (4) player ejections: Charlotte's Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges were tossed along with Detroit's Jalen Duren & Isaiah Stewart (who would have guessed it?!?), while Hornets coach Charles Lee was ejected in the 4th QTR after he had to be restrained from going after an official while arguing a call - - The brawl was initiated by the following event(s): Pistons' Jalen Duren had the ball and was driving toward the basket with just over seven (7) minutes left in the 3rd QTR when he was fouled by Hornets' Moussa Diabate - - Duren turned around to get face-to-face with Diabate, and the two appeared to butt heads - Duren then pushed Diabate in the face with his open right hand, starting a confrontation that lasted more than 30 seconds, and ultimately ended with a brief police presence on the court - - While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabate back, Diabate threw a punch at Duren, who turned & walked away - - but then Hornets' Miles Bridges began to charge at Diabate, throwing a left-handed punch - - Duren then retaliated with a punch, and Diabate attempted to charge at Duren again & had to be restrained - - Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart (aka "The Ultimate Fighter") left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded immediately with a punch, and the players tussled - - and at one point, Stewart got Bridges in a headlock and delivered multiple left-handed blows to his head. . .**UPDATE: The NBA announced that Detroit Pistons F/C Isaiah Stewart has been suspended for seven (7) games for leaving the Pistons' bench and for participating in the brawl on Monday night - - The league also suspended Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate four (4) games each for fighting and escalating the altercation, which occurred midway through the 3rd QTR - - Pistons center Jalen Duren was also suspended two games for initiating the altercation & fighting, the league released in a statement on Tuesday. . .LeBron James' All-NBA streak is officially coming to an end, and the Lakers were majorly undermanned Tuesday night when they hosted the San Antonio Spurs - - James was ruled out of the game with left foot arthritis, the Lakers announced, along with announcing the absences of Luka Doncic (hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management) and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) - - It was James' 18th missed games of the season, making it impossible for him to reach the 65-game minimum threshold that's required to be eligible for the NBA's annual awards, whereas James has been named to an All-NBA team for a record-setting 21 straight seasons. . .Q: Should the NBA, at minumum, name LeBron James as a member of this year's Third-Team All-NBA, just to prolong his historic run? Or not a chance in hell?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 121 - "The Super Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer introduce and have a brief discussion on the most recent and/or updated Week 13 release of the AP Men's College Basketball Top 25 Poll - - as well as to dive into a few of the most notable NCAAM basketball games from across the country this past week, including but not limited to: (1) last Friday's Top-25 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines & Michigan State Spartans, (2) the Top-10 battle between Big Ten Conference foes, Illinois & Nebraska, and finally, (3) Sunday's SEC Conference showdown between the Crimson Tide & the reigning national champion Florida Gators. . .As we entered into this week, or the first week of February - and with "March Madness" just around the corner - the Arizona Wildcats & the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks are the last two unbeaten teams standing, and with the release of the Week 13 AP Top 25 poll, only four (4) teams' rankings remain unchanged from the previous week - - The Wildcats held on to the unanimous No.1 ranking for a third consecutive week, as Arizona has its best start in program history, and it's 22-0 record is also tied for the longest winning streak in school history (i.e., The Wildcats won 22 straight games in 1914-17) - - Saturday, Jan. 31st: No.1 Arizona Wildcats at Arizona State Sun Devils - - Koa Peat scored 21 points, fellow freshman Brayden Burries came off the bench to add 17, and No.1 Arizona defeated in-state rival Arizona State 87-74 on Saturday, setting a school record with their 22nd straight win to start the season - - Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) is one of just two undefeated teams in the nation, along with No.23 Miami (Ohio) - - **NOTE: The Wildcats' winning streak also tied the Big 12 record to start a season, which was originally set by the Kansas Jayhawks in 1996-97- - Arizona State led for much of the first few minutes of the game, but the Wildcats used a 13-2 scoring run to take a 25-18 lead with 7:00 left in the first half, as Koa Peat made a layup to cap the run, finishing through contact that left him bloodied around his left eye - - The Sun Devils recovered, tying the game at 38-all just before the halftime break when Sun Devils G Noah Meeusen made a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining - - The Wildcats, who shot 60% from the field in the second half, scored the first six (6) points to begin the second half, to take a 44-38 lead & never trailed again - - While the gritty Sun Devils cut into the deficit several times, they never could generate enough offense to keep pace with the Wildcats - - Stat Leaders: Noah Meeusen scored 16 points, while guard Maurice Odom added 15 for the Sun Devils, and Arizona State (11-11, 2-7 Big 12) has dropped nine (9) of its last 11 games, whereas C Motiejus Krivas fought through foul trouble to finish with 15 points, and forward Tobe Awaka had a career-high 13 rebounds - - **NOTE: The Sun Devils fell to 2-10 all-time against the nation's No.1 team, as their last win over a top-ranked program came when Arizona State knocked off Kansas in Dec. 2018. . .In the Week 13 AP Poll, the Wildcats are followed by the Michigan Wolverines, which flipped spots with the UConn Huskies (No.3) to move up to the No.2 spot, following their conference wins over previously-unbeaten No.5 Nebraska, as well as their in-state rival in Tom Izzo's Spartans, as the Wolverines are 5-0 against ranked teams this season - with four (4) of those wins coming by double-digits - - As for the No.3 Huskies, they improved to 11-0 in Big East Conference play for the first time since its' 1998-99 NCAA title run - - **NOTE: UConn is on a 17-game winning streak, its longest single-season win streak since winning 19 in a row in the 1998-99 season - - Friday, Jan. 30th: No.3 Michigan Wolverines at No.17 Michigan State Spartans - - Prior to tipoff, Michigan State fans serenaded Michigan HC Dusty May with expletive-filled chants, but it was the Wolverines' HC that would ultimately have the last laugh in this one: Forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 26 points & 12 rebounds, guards Elliot Cadeau scored 17 and Morez Johnson added 12 points to lead No.3 Michigan to an 83-71 victory over the 17th-ranked Spartans in East Lansing on Friday night - - With the win, the Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference, whereas the Spartans (19-3, 9-2 Big Ten) missed 14 of their 18 shots (22%), and they finished the first half with more turnovers (11) than FGM (7) and trailed the Wolverines by 16 points at the halftime break - - Michigan State went on a 13-2 run early in the second half to pull within three (3) points and F Jaxon Kohler, who finished the game with 12 points, made a game-tying 3-pointer with 7:57 left in regulation - - G Jeremy Fears, who scored a career-high 31 points, had a steal and a layup that put the Spartans ahead 57-55 with 7:27 to go for their first lead of the game. . .but that didn't last too long. . .as Michigan responded with clutch shooting, making 5 of 6 shots, while holding Michigan State scoreless for more than three (3) minutes to seal its sixth straight victory, and as Michigan finished the game on a 19-8 run in the final four (4) minutes of regulation - - Stat Leaders: Forwards Coen Carr & Jordan Scott each scored 10 points for the Spartans, whose seven-game winning streak was snapped by the Wolverines - - Michigan had a big advantage in outside shooting, making 8 of 21 (38%) of their three-point shots, while Michigan State missed 19 of 23 (17%) shots from beyond the arc - - "No Love Lost:" Michigan HC Dusty May & Michigan State HC Tom Izzo accused each other's team of "dirty play" after the Wolverines' 83-71 victory on Friday, as during one particular sequence in the game, Michigan State star guard Jeremy Fears made contact with Yaxel Lendeborg, appearing to trip the Michigan star forward, and with May claiming that the act was "intentional," whereas Izzo responded that it was "the result of heated competition," but this back & forth between the two coaches will most certainly stir the pot and/or add fuel to the fire of this in-state rivalry between the Wolverines and Spartans. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the accusatory comments made at the press conference on Monday by Michigan HC Dusty May and Michigan State HC Tom Izzo? - - At No.4 in this week's AP Top 25 poll is Duke, as the Blue Devils are 20-1, its fewest games required to reach 20 wins since the 2007-08 season, and at No.5 is the Illinois Fighting Illini - - **NOTE: The Big Ten Conference continues to have two teams the top five, with Illinois replacing Nebraska as the final team, after the Cornhuskers dropped two straight games this past week (i.e., at Michigan, vs. Illinois): Illini freshman guard Keaton Wagler is the first player in AP poll history to score 25 or more points in multiple road wins against top five opponents this season (i.e., 46 in road win over Purdue & 28 points this weekend over Nebraska) - as the Cornhuskers remain in the top 10, however, they did slide down four (4) spots to No.9 this week - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.9 Illinois Fighting Illini at No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers - - Freshman guard Keaton Wagler scored 28 points as No.9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, defeating No.5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first top-10 matchup the Cornhuskers have hosted - - The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost a game since an 83-80 loss at home to Nebraska back on Dec.13, held the Huskers to four (4) FGs in the first 13 minutes of the second half - - The Cornhuskers (20-2, 9-2 Big Ten) lost its second consecutive game, after they lost to No.3 Michigan on the road last Tuesday, which ended their 24-game win streak dating back to last season - - Stat Leaders: F Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, C Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and F David Mirkovic had 10, whereas F Braden Frager - who returned for the Cornhuskers after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury - scored 20 points, F Pryce Sandfort added 14 points, guards Sam Hoiberg & Jamarques Lawrence scored 13 and 10 points, respectively - - Nebraska hit 11 of 20 (55%) of its 3-point attempts before halftime to take a 39-33 lead into the halftime break, however, the 'Huskers came out flat, only making four (4) 3-pointers in the second half against a tightened Illinois defense - - The Illini outscored Nebraska 18-8 to open the second half, as Keaton Wagler nailed a 3-pointer with 13:05 remaining to put Illinois ahead 49-47, a lead it did not relinquish - as the Huskers trailed by at least seven (7) points the rest of the way - - While Illinois made nine (9) 3-pointers to 15 for Nebraska, the Illini dominated the free-throw line, outscoring the Huskers 21-4, and they also had a 10-point edge in the paint & 40-27 advantage in rebounds - - Gonzaga remained at No.6, while Iowa State & Houston climbed one spot apiece (No.7 and No.8, respectively) - - Following their loss to in-state rival Michigan, the Michigan State Spartans fell three (3) spots to No.10 - - Tuesday, Feb. 3rd: No.23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Buffalo Bulls - - Guard Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 19 points as No.23 Miami (Ohio) once again avoided the upset, held on for the 73-71 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night, extending the longest winning streak in MAC Conference history to 23 games - - Stat Leaders: G Brant Byers added 11 points for the RedHawks (23-0, 11-0 MAC), and Peter Suder finished with 10 points, 8 assists & 5 boards, whereas guards Angelo Brizzi scored 22 points & Daniel Freitag had 18 to lead Buffalo (14-9, 4-7 MAC) - - The Bulls have now lost seven (7) their last eight (8) games following a 13-2 start to the regular season, which was the second-best in the program's history at the D-1 level - - **NOTE: Miami's 73 points were a season low, as the RedHawks entered the game leading the country in averaging 93.7 points per game - - The Bulls tied the score three (3) times with less than seven (7) minutes remaining before Miami took command with a 6-0 run, and by holding Buffalo scoreless over a 3:49 span - - This was the second consecutive close game between these two MAC teams this season, as previously, the RedHawks defeated the Bulls 105-102 in OT on Jan. 17 - - **NOTE: Miami's ranking is its highest since being ranked No.22 in November 1998, and they are the first MAC program ranked since Buffalo finished the 2018-19 season at No.15. . .Q: Are the No. 23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks a legit contender in this year's NCAA Tournament, or more likely a pretender? (i.e., do you expect them to advance beyond the Round of 64? 32?) - - The Kansas Jayhawks climbed three (3) spots to No.11 following its 90-82 win over BYU on Saturday, while the Purdue Boilermakers remained at the No.12 spot, and Texas Tech closed out the week at No.13 - - North Carolina & Vanderbilt rounded out the top 15, and BYU, Florida, Virginia, Saint Louis & Clemson finished out the top 20 - - **NOTE: The Saint Louis Billikens (21-1), who had won 15 consecutive games, have reached their highest ranking since March 2024, when they were ranked 18th, and went on to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship - and to date, they have seven (7) 100-point games this season, tied with Georgia, Miami (OH) & Michigan for the most in Division I, as well as the most such games in a single season in A-10 history - The Billikens are led by guard Robbie Avila aka "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," who on the season is averaging 12.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, and is shooting 53.3% from the field - - Arkansas, St. John's, Miami (Ohio), Louisville & Tennessee held down the final five spots (i.e., No.21 - 25) in this week's Top 25 Poll - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.23 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.19 Florida Gators - - Forward Alex Condon scored 25 points, Thomas Haugh added 22 and No.19 Florida dominated the No.23 Crimson Tide & Charles Bediako 100-77 on Sunday afternoon, which was Florida's fifth consecutive victory in the series, and occurred a little more than a week after Gators HC Todd Golden made the following statement: "We're gonna beat 'em anyways," in reference to a Tuscaloosa County judge's decision to allow Bediako to return to college - - This game was so one-sided that 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, the world's tallest teenager, checked into the game for the final minute & scored the Gators' last basket - - Prior to that, Florida used a 13-2 scoring run late in the first half to help build a 10-point lead at the halftime break, and ultimately turned the Top-25 matchup into a lopsided affair by scoring the first 12 points coming out of the locker room - - Guard Boogie Fland chipped in 15 points, 8 assists as well as one of the wildest stats observed in a D-I college basketball game: he finished with eight (8) steals for the defending national champion Gators (16-6, 7-2 SEC), as Fland dominated his matchup against the SEC's leading scorer, Labaron Philon - - **NOTE: Fland's eight (8) steals matched the program record, which was set by Clifford Lett in 1989 - - Philon, who entered into this game, averaging 22 points, finished with 14, while fellow guard Aden Holloway led the Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4 SEC), with 19 points - - It was Florida's frontcourt that was the difference in this game: Condon, Haugh & Rueben Chinyelu combined for 61 points, 29 rebounds & five (5) blocks, and the Gators outscored Alabama 72-26 in the paint - - **NOTE: The stat of the game: Alabama finished the game with 18 turnovers, while Florida had just two - - As for Bediako, the 7-foot center who is suing the NCAA in an attempt to regain college eligibility, played in his third game with the Crimson Tide and first on the road, while Florida's student section taunted him with chants of "G League dropout," when he entered the game and each time he touched the ball: Bediako finished the game with six (6) points and seven (7) rebounds prior to fouling out with a little over two minutes to play - - "Rising and Falling:" Kansas, Vandy & St. John's made up the most ground this week, climbing three (3) spots apiece, while Tennessee, who were previously ranked as high as No.13 earlier in the season, climbed back into the poll at No.25 after falling out of the rankings for two weeks: The Volunteers returned to the AP Poll at the expense of Alabama, as Nate Oats' squad had the fifth-longest active poll streak in the country, snapped at 42 consecutive weeks - - "Conference Watch:" The Big 12 Conference led the Week 13 AP Poll with six (6) teams, while the Big Ten and ACC both had five (5) apiece - - The SEC had four (4) ranked teams, the Big East had two (2) and the West Coast (WCC), Atlantic-10 (A10) and MAC each had one apiece. . .Former UCLA standout Amari Bailey said he is attempting to become the first basketball player to return to college after playing in NBA games - - The 6-foot-3 guard played one season at UCLA in 2022-23 before entering the 2023 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round: Bailey would go on to play in 10 games for the Hornets throughout his rookie season on a two-way contract, and spent two years in the G League prior to being cut over the summer - - Bailey, 21, has hired an agent and a lawyer to prepare for a fight with the NCAA over his eligibility in hopes that he may join a college team and play one more season - as his effort will be another substantial legal test for the NCAA's ability to enforce rules that decide who can participate college sports, especially during an era where waivers and lawsuits are tools that may be used as a viable way to obtain entry into the sport . . .Q: Should Amari Bailey be permitted to return to playing college basketball after participating in 10 games for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets after being drafted in 2023?. . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football: Florida State OC Gus Malzahn announced his retirement on Monday after 35 years spent in coaching, which included stints as the HC at Arkansas State, Auburn & UCF - - Malzahn, 60, spent this past season with the Seminoles to be closer to family after stepping down at UCF, where he spent the previous four (4) seasons - - **NOTE: In 13 years as a HC at the collegiate level, Malzahn went 105-62, with only two losing seasons - - In eight (8) years spent at Auburn from 2013 to 2020, Malzahn went 63-35, including a national championship game appearance in 2013 against Florida State & two SEC West division titles - - In his one year at Florida State, the Seminoles' offense improved dramatically, as FSU led the ACC Conference in total offense (472.1 ypg) and rushing (218.7 ypg) - - After beginning his career as a high school coach in Arkansas, Malzahn's high-tempo spread offense got him into the college game, first as an OC at Arkansas in 2006 and eventually as the OC at Auburn from 2009 to 2011, where his offense helped QB Cam Newton win the Heisman Trophy, and the Tigers to achieve a 14-0 perfect season as well as win the 2010 national title - - Sources indicated that family considerations led Malzahn to step down, and shortly afterward, Florida State HC Mike Norvell announced that co-OC and WRs coach Tim Harris, had been promoted to fulfill the vacant OC position. . .Q: As Alabama fans, we certainly have witnessed & endured our fair share of battles with Gus Malzahn while he was the OC (and HC) at Auburn, but it would be almost impossible for us to not acknowledge the legacy of the "Gus-train," and how impressive of an offensive-minded coach he is: What are your thoughts on Gus Malzahn's retirement announcement?. . .

- NFL - - The Arizona Cardinals have hired Mike LaFleur as their new HC, with the Los Angeles Rams OC agreeing to a five-year contract, the team announced on Sunday afternoon - - **NOTE: LaFleur is now the fourth Rams OC under Sean McVay to be hired as an NFL head coach, and with all four (4) of those former OCs currently serving as NFL HCs (i.e., 2023-25: Mike LaFleur --> Cardinals; 2022: Liam Coen --> Jaguars; 2020-21: Kevin O'Connell --> Vikings; *2018-19: No OC; and 2017: Matt LaFleur --> Packers) - - LaFleur, 38, replaces Jonathan Gannon, who was fired as Arizona's HC on Jan.5, kicking off a search for Gannon's replacement that lasted nearly a month - - **NOTE: LaFleur is the sixth straight HC hired by the Cardinals who does not have permanent NFL head coaching experience (and it shows!), however, he does come to Arizona with a coaching pedigree and experience as an offensive playcaller: he spent the past three (3) seasons as the Rams OC and was the New York Jets OC from 2021-2022, however, LaFleur did not call the plays for the Rams, as it was under the guidance of HC Sean McVay - - **NOTE: Oh, and in terms of that coaching pedigree, LaFleur's older brother is Matt, the HC for the Green Bay Packers - - He has a deep familiarity with the NFC West division, after having spent three (3) seasons in Los Angeles and four (4) seasons - 2017 to 2020 - with the San Francisco 49ers - - LaFleur inherits a Cardinals' team that finished 3-14 last season, owns the third (3rd) pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, and has a question mark at the QB position - as it is unknown whether Kyler Murray, Arizona's incumbent starter, will remain on the team for the 2026 season despite having $39.8 million already guaranteed - - He will be leading a team whose offense dropped off significantly in 2025 to become the 19th-ranked unit in the league, a year after being ranked 11th, whereas the Cardinals' defense ranked 27th (out of 32) last year after being 21st in 2024. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals hiring of Rams OC Mike LaFleur as their new HC and Jonathan Gannon's replacement? Does the Arizona Cardinals franchise put forth much faith in their coaching staff to succeed? - - "Super Bowl LX Preview Special:" In this particular discussion segment, JD & Spencer will preview, analyze, breakdown, provide their individual (and independent) predictions for the upcoming Super Bowl that is scheduled to occur in Santa Clara (CA) on Sunday, Feb. 8. . .

Super Bowl LX: Seattle Seahawks (-4.5) vs. New England Patriots        O/U46.5

(I) Introduction: The New England Patriots (17-3) and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) will meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara - - **NOTE: It will mark the first Super Bowl since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger between two teams that each ranked in the top four (4) in scoring offense and scoring defense during the NFL regular season. . .

(II) Historical Context: The Patriots will make their 12th Super Bowl appearance, the most of any NFL franchise - - On Sunday, New England can become the first team to win seven (7) Super Bowls and surpass the San Francisco 49ers (40 postseason wins) for the most wins by a franchise in NFL history. . .Meanwhile, the Seahawks, who will appear in the Super Bowl for the fourth time, can secure their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, having won Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season (Seattle 43, Denver 8) - - **NOTE: New England and Seattle are the 10th pair of teams to meet in multiple Super Bowls, previously facing off in Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona following the 2014 season (Patriots 28, Seahawks 24) - - Super Bowl LX marks the 32nd consecutive season to feature a different Super Bowl matchup than the prior season - - New England can become the third team since the 2002 realignment to win the Super Bowl the season after finishing last in their division, joining the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles and the 2009 New Orleans Saints: After finishing with a 4-13 record in 2024, the Patriots are the fifth team to appear in the Super Bowl the season after winning fewer than five (5) games - - With New England and Seattle both advancing to Super Bowl LX, at least one team has advanced to the Super Bowl the season after missing the playoffs in six (6) of the past 10 seasons (2016-25). . .

(III) Coaching Staff: With Mike Vrabel in his first season as the Patriots HC, and Mike Macdonald, hired by the Seahawks in 2024, Super Bowl LX will mark the fourth Super Bowl ever between HCs, each within their first two seasons with a team - - **NOTE: Macdonald, who will be 38 years and 227 days old on Super Bowl Sunday, can become the third-youngest HC to win the Super Bowl, trailing only Sean McVay (36 years, 20 days in Super Bowl LVI) & Mike Tomlin (36 year, 323 days in Super Bowl XLIII) - and he can also become the first HC under the age of 40 to win 17 games in a season, including the playoffs, in NFL history - - Mike Vrabel, on the other hand, can become the first HC in NFL history to win a Super Bowl both as a player and as a coach with the same NFL franchise. . .

(IV) "The QBs:" New England QB Drake Maye, at 23 years and 162 days old, can become the youngest starting QB ever to win a Super Bowl, surpassing Ben Roethlisberger (23 years and 340 days old in Super Bowl XL) - - **NOTE: Maye can become the fifth QB ever to win a Super Bowl in his first or second season, joining Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, and Russell Wilson - - Seattle QB Sam Darnold can become the fourth QB ever to win a Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady (Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay), Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXV with Baltimore), and Matthew Stafford (Super Bowl LVI with Los Angeles). . .

(V) "The X-Factor?" Seattle WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba can become the fourth player to lead the NFL in receiving yards during the regular season & win the Super Bowl in the same year, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Pearson (1977) and Jerry Rice (1989 & 1994) as well as Cooper Kupp (2021). . .

(VI) Predictions: **Be Sure to Tune in for JD & Spencer's predictions for Super Bowl LX/Share Your Super Bowl LX Picks & Predictions with us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message to [email protected]!!. . .

- NBA - - "Reservations for the King:" For a 22nd straight year, LeBron James is an All-Star. . .The NBA announced its reserves for the Feb.15 All-Star Game Sunday night on NBC prior to James & the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden - - Voting was conducted by the league's coaches over the past week - - **NOTE: James, 41, was the last player announced, as the league's oldest player extended his record for both overall and consecutive selections by another season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on LeBron James being named a reserve for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?. . .Countdown to the NBA Trade Deadline: The Cleveland Cavaliers traded De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder & Keon Ellis, the team announced on Sunday - - The three-team deal included the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks - - The Memphis Grizzlies are trading for star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang & three future first-round draft picks, sources reported to ESPN on Tuesday afternoon - - The Boston Celtics have acquired center Nikola Vucevic in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, adding some much-needed help to their frontcourt, and Boston will trade guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round draft pick to Chicago, sources told Charania. . ."The 'Land of Beard:" The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday evening - - In an eight-team NBA trade, the Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star center Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday – Washington is the fourth NBA franchise for Davis throughout his NBA career: Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston), sources tell ESPN. . .The Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources informed ESPN on Wednesday afternoon. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 120 - "The Immaculate Reception Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In the first part of this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & analyze a few of the most notable games from Week 13 of the NCAA College Basketball season, that has occurred within the past week, beginning with a Big 12 Conference matchup between the unanimous No.1 team in this week's AP Top 25 Poll for a fifth straight week, the Arizona Wildcats, and the No.13 BYU Cougars: Guard Brayden Burries scored 29 points and made a game-saving block in the final seconds as top-ranked Arizona remained undefeated by holding off a furious rally from No.13 BYU for an 86-83 victory on Monday night - - PG Jaden Bradley added 26 points for the Wildcats (21-0, 8-0 Big 12), who has now matched the best start in program history - - Fellow freshman AJ Dybantsa led the Cougars (17-3, 5-2 Big 12) with 24 points but struggled, shooting 25% from the field and 1-of-8 from the 3-point line, while guards Richie Saunders & Kennard Davis Jr., contributed 18 and 17 points, respectively - - After trailing by 19 points midway through the second half, the Cougars were able to trim the deficit to one with a 12-2 run that began with just more than a minute left - as forward Keba Keita's putback dunk pulled the Cougars to within 84-83 with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation - and after which, the Cougars would force a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play: On the next play, BYU guard Robert Wright III drove toward the rim and wriggled free for what appeared to be a good look at the basket, but Wildcats guard Brayden Burries said "Nah!" - - Burries came flying over from the weak side to block Wright's shot from behind, and the freshman guard was able to grab the loose ball & converted two free throws prior to BYU missing on a long heave at the buzzer - - Burries finished the game 13-of-15 at the foul line, and added five rebounds, four assists & three steals for the Wildcats, who handed BYU its first home loss despite the Cougars finishing the game shooting 50% from long distance after the halftime break. . .Q: What are your thoughts on this Arizona Wildcat basketball team? What's it going to take for a team to pull off the upset over Tommy Lloyd's squad?. . ."Purdue University is Really Going Through it:"No.12 Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers - - Guard(s) Lamar Wilkerson had 19 points, Nick Dorn had 18, and Conor Enright scored five of his eight points in the final 1:11 to help Indiana complete the upset over No.12 Purdue 72-67 on Tuesday night - - The Hoosiers (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) have now won two consecutive games, and this is, to date, the most impressive win under HC Darian DeVries - and it came in his first matchup against Indiana's bitter in-state rival - and on the same night that college football's new national champions, were honored during a pre-game ceremony, on the same court where Hoosiers football coach Curt Cignetti once proclaimed "Purdue sucks," - - **NOTE: Following their win on Tuesday night, the Hoosiers have defeated ranked Boilermakers teams in four of their last five matchups at home - - F/C Trey Kaufman-Renn led the Boilermakers (17-4, 7-3 Big Ten) with 23 points and senior guard Braden Smith added 14 points, five rebounds & five assists, but it just wasn't enough for Purdue to avoid extending their losing streak to a season-worst three games - - Purdue did not look like itself: Indiana negated the Boilermakers' perceived advantage in the post, outrebounding them 33-28 while only being outscored 24-18 in the paint, in a game that had all the elements of a rivalry. . .No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers at No.3 Michigan Wolverines - - Guard Trey McKenney made a tiebreaking layup with 1:07 remaining as No.3 Michigan rallied past No.5 Nebraska 75-72 on Tuesday night to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss of the season (20-1, 9-1 Big Ten): Forward Morez Johnson Jr. had 17 points & 12 rebounds for the Wolverines (19-1, 9-1 Big Ten), who trailed for more than 36 minutes prior to holding Nebraska scoreless over the final 3:20 in regulation: Guard Jamarques Lawrence missed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining for the short-handed Cornhuskers, and guard Sam Hoiberg missed on a jumper just before the buzzer, as Nebraska played this game without F Rienk Mast (illness) and F Braden Frager (sprained ankle), who missed his second consecutive game - - **NOTE: Nebraska had won 24 straight games dating back to last season, including four victories in the inaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament in Las Vegas last April - - McKenney had 11 points off the bench for the Wolverines, while forwards Yaxel Lendeborg & Aday Mara both scored 10 points apiece, whereas the Huskers' Lawrence scored 16 of his 20 points in the opening 10 minutes of the game, and Pryce Sandfort also finished with 20 points for Nebraska, while Sam Hoiberg finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists & four steals - - Following the Cornhuskers' loss to Michigan on Tuesday night, there are only two unbeaten teams remaining in D-1 College Basketball: No.1 Arizona & No.24 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. . .Q: At the halfway point of the NCAA College Basketball season, what team do you expect to win what is currently a "wide-open" Big Ten Conference title race?. . .

- NCAA College Football: In this week's "Tradition's Finest Top College Football Games of 2025," (aka Season Close-Out) segment, JD & Spencer discuss the current state of college football - both on & off the field - as well as the ramifications if some type of regulation is not introduced to the sport rather sooner than later - - The 2025 College Football season offered us: epic upsets, dynamite playoff games, iconic plays (i.e., you probably know exactly what we're referring to if we mention "Cooper's Catch," or the "Chambliss' Scramble," or "Mendoza's Leap,"), and our first incredible national title game in eight years. .and for that, we are forever grateful! - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer provide detailed analysis for a few of the most memorable and/or our favorite CFB games from the 2025 college football season (**Let us know your thoughts on the game(s) discussed within this episode, as well as 'honorable mentions,' that were not discussed - feel free to reach out to us via X/Twitter - @TraditionsFinest and/or send us a message to [email protected]!!). . .The College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field next season (2026), the CFP's management committee announced last Friday afternoon - - The decision gives the CFP and Conference commissioners additional time to consider the playoff's expansion to possibly a 16- or 24-team format in the future, a move all sides of the discussion could not agree on at this time, with the biggest contention existing between the Big Ten and SEC Conference(s) on the immediate direction of the playoff: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has publicly supported a 16-team model, but Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti would agree to this particular model only if Sankey committed to a 24-team field after three years, sources told ESPN, however, multiple sources have stated that this is not something that Sankey was necessarily ready to commit too at this time - - This stalemate between the Big Ten and SEC Conferences, which has existed for months, will continue to be a topic of interest as it is believed by many, that, if Petitti can convince Sankey to agree to a 16-team model (and a 24-team model three years later), it's likely that Conference Championship games are out the window. . .Q: What are your thoughts on next year's College Football Playoff retaining the 12-team (or most current) format? Do you expect the SEC and Big Ten Conferences to end this stalemate regarding the structure of the playoff field?. . ."Do Not Tamper with Tigers:" Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney lambasted Ole Miss HC Pete Golding for allegedly making direct, repeated overtures to lure LB Luke Ferrelli into the NCAA transfer portal after he had already signed a contract & enrolled in classes at Clemson University, calling it a "straightforward case of tampering," and imploring his coaching colleagues to "be an example to young coaches in this profession and be people of integrity or shut your mouth and don't complain," - - Ferrelli, one of the country's top freshman defenders in 2025 at Cal, entered the portal in January, and Swinney detailed a two-week process that followed in which Ferrelli visited Ole Miss and Clemson, agreed to a revenue-sharing contract with the Tigers, rented an apartment, purchased a car, enrolled in & attended classes at the University, and begun offseason workouts there - - Poor Dabo, it seems as though, he did not receive the memo that explained that the NCAA does not penalize programs for "tampering," with athletes, who have already committed & signed with another program: this modern version of college sports is set up much like an Auction, with the player being purchased by the highest bidder. . .Q: What specific guardrails should the NCAA implement to prevent this type of blatant tampering from occurring throughout college sports, most notably college football?. . .Ohio State is finalizing a deal to make former Pittsburgh Steelers playcaller Arthur Smith it's OC, a source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday - - Smith will replace Brian Hartline, who was recently named the HC at the University of South Florida (USF) - - Smith spent the past two seasons with the Steelers under HC Mike Tomlin, and prior to that, he was the HC for the Atlanta Falcons, compiling a record of 21-30 over three seasons, and he also held stints at the University of Georgia as well as Southern Miss - - This past season, under Smith, the Steelers ranked 15th in the NFL averaging 23.4 points per game, and while he will transition back to the college ranks, in Columbus, he will have one of the top returning offensive trios in the country at his disposal: QB Julian Sayin (a 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist), RB Bo Jackson (1,090 rushing yards in 2025 as a freshman), and WR Jeremiah Smith, who is a two-time All-American heading into his junior season. . .Q: What overall grade would you give to Ohio State's hire of former Steelers OC Arthur Smith to serve in the same role?. . ."A Settlement with the Devil[s]:" Darian Mensah and Duke University recently agreed to a settlement of their dispute that would clear the way for the QB to transfer to another program, his agency announced on Tuesday - - While playing for Duke, Mensah, who will have two more years of eligibility remaining, led the ACC Conference last season with 3,973 passing yards & 34 passing TDs, while also leading the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC title since 1962 - - Duke's leading WR, Cooper Barkate, also opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal at the Jan. 16 transfer portal window deadline: Barkate, who ranked second in the ACC Conference with 1,106 receiving yards & seven TDs in 2025, appeared to follow in Mensah's footsteps - - **UPDATE: Duke transfer QB Darian Mensah & WR Cooper Barkate have both committed to Miami, per On3's Pete Nakos on Tuesday evening - - as Mensah becomes the 3rd consecutive QB Mario Cristobal & the Hurricanes have signed in the previous three transfer portal cycles, as the program has landed arguably the top QB available in the transfer portal. . .Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how shocked are you by the most recent development that QB Darian Mensah has committed to the University of Miami?. . .

- NFL - - AFC & NFC Conference Championship Review & Analysis + 2026 NFL Honors The NFL Coaching Carousel Continues to Spin. . . **Be Sure to Tune In for This Week's NFL discussion. . .

- NBA - - "Chicago's Rose" & "Bucks No More" subject topics. . .**Tune in!!

- Miscellaneous - - A former Canadians Olympic snowboarder, Ryan Wedding, pled not guilty to running a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring, orchestrating multiple killings (retaliation & a witness), and conspiring to distribute cocaine and other crimes in a U.S. federal court on Monday after being extradited to the U.S. from Mexico - - Authorities say Wedding moved as much as 60 tons of coacine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada & Southern California (U.S.) & believe he was working under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful drug rings - - His drug trafficking group was the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada, according to a 2024 indictment in his home country, where he faces separate drug charges dating back to 2015. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 119 - The inVINCEible Bowl Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: It has been our intention to discuss and/or cover NCAA Men's College Basketball in some capacity since the beginning of the 2025-26 College Basketball season, however, and due to multiple factors, we have not dove into the sport near as much as we preferred. . .But, do we have some fantastic news for you Round-ball fans, this week's episode features a discussion and/or Week 11 update; such topics as the following are discussed in this particular segment: (I) the dominance of the Arizona Wildcats (18-0) & being ranked the unanimous No.1 team in Monday's AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, receiving all 61 votes, just a week after picking up all but one first-place votes (60); (II) the rise & fall of the Iowa State Cyclones; (III) a few other notable programs that are making waves thru Week 11 of the regular season (i.e., No.7 Nebraska (18-0), No.24 Saint Louis (17-1) & No.25 Miami (Ohio)); (IV) the "Rising/Falling" programs of the AP Top 25 (i.e., No.18 Clemson - ⬆️ four spots; No.12 Texas Tech - ⬆️ three spots; No.22 North Carolina - ⬇️ eight spots after losses last week to Stanford & Cal; No.9 Iowa State ⬇️ seven spots after losses to unranked Kansas & Cincinnati; No.15 Vanderbilt - ⬇️ five spots after losses to Texas & No.16 Florida); and (V) those programs that are "In & Out" of this week's updated poll rankings - A "Welcome Back" to No.19 Kansas, First Timers Saint Louis & Miami (Ohio) & So Long Goodbye to Tennessee (⬇️ from No.24 after blowing a 17-point lead versus Kentucky last week; Utah State (⬇️ from No.23 after suffering loss on the road to Grand Canyon); and Seton Hall (⬇️ from No.25 after suffering back-to-back losses to UConn and Butler). . .In a case that could potentially reshape college basketball & college sports in general, former Alabama standout/center Charles Bediako - who entered the 2023 NBA Draft and he went on to sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs later that same year - has been granted a temporary restraining order (or a TRO) to return to the team and college basketball immediately, a Tuscaloosa County (AL) judge ruled early Wednesday morning — Bediako, who has played in the G-League for the previous two seasons, went undrafted & never appeared in an NBA game after he played on two NCAA Tournament teams while enrolled at the University of Alabama (i.e., 2020-21 & 2022-23), filed a lawsuit to sue the NCAA a day prior after it denied the school's appeal to allow him to return to the sport, citing the similar situation with James Nnaji & Baylor University — **NOTE: This is the first time a player who entered an NBA draft and signed a contract after playing college basketball has been given the chance to return to Division I college basketball. . .and it's reception has been met with much controversy and speculation — The Tuscaloosa Co. (AL) judge's monumental ruling was made just hours after NCAA President Charlie Baker reiterated that Bediako and other players who have signed NBA contracts would not be granted eligibility to play college basketball — Based on the NCAA's five-year window, Bediako can join the Nate Oats & the Crimson Tide for the rest of the regular season - depending on what happens at his next hearing - before his eligibility is exhausted — Bediako will join a Crimson Tide basketball team as it wades through its' defensive struggles (i.e., currently ranks 67th in adjusted defensive efficiency) as Alabama is scheduled to face off against the Tennessee Volunteers in Tuscaloosa on Saturday - and the question on everyone's mind: Will Charles Bediako suit up for the Crimson Tide on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum. . .Q: What do you think: Is there a chance that Charles Bediako will actually see the court against Tennessee on Saturday? Or at any point throughout the remainder of the 2025-26 NCAA college basketball regular season?. . .

- NCAA College Football: It should come as little surprise that DI college football is experiencing similar issues as that of college basketball. . .Let's discuss the situation and controversy surrounding Duke QB Darian Mensah: While approximately 4,500 college football players were just waiting around for the NCAA transfer portal to open where they could make their entry & state their claim at a new program the following season, QB Darian Mensah, who led the ACC Conference in passing yards (3,973) this season as well as led the Duke Blue Devils to play the role of CFP spoiler after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Conference Championship Game, had made the decision on Dec. 19th to return for the Blue Devils as a redshirt junior next season after exploring the possibility of entering the 2026 NFL Draft (he was rated as the No.5 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.'s QB ranking board for the 2026 NFL Draft prior to his decision) — Fast forward to Friday, Jan.16th (2026), Duke QB Darian Mensah, who has two years of eligibility remaining after playing for Tulane prior to his one season at Duke, had changed his mind, and decided to submit his request for transfer paperwork, ahead of the 12:00 p.m. ET deadline for FBS and FCS players to enter the NCAA transfer portal. . .Tampering, much?. . .Miami looms as the expected favorite to land Mensah when he officially becomes available - as the Hurricanes have signed transfer QBs in consecutive seasons (i.e., Cam Ward & Carson Beck) - and did not land a QB out of the two-week transfer portal window that opened on Jan. 2nd -- Per On3, Duke has filed a lawsuit, thus suing Darian Mensah, claiming that he breached a multiyear NIL contract that was scheduled to end on Dec. 31st, 2026, and furthermore, Mensah is permitted to enter the transfer portal, but he can't enroll or play college football for another program prior to the Durham (N.C.) County judge rules on Duke's request for an injunction that would prevent him from leaving. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the multiple reports that Darian Mensah "changed his mind," thus making the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal after committing to return to Duke next season? Do you suspect that there are any programs out there tampering with the Duke QB? Is there a legit possibility that QB Darian Mensah is forced to sit out the entire 2026-27 NCAA college football season after attempting to breach his contract with Duke University? . .2026 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship Game Review: To understand just how improbable the Indiana Hoosiers' 16-0 "perfect" season was punctuated by its' gritty 27-21 win against the Miami Hurricanes on Monday night in front of a crowd of 67,000-plus fans, with the majority clad in cream & crimson, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a somewhat brief history lesson is required: **NOTE: The University of Indiana college football program had lost 715 games, now the second-most in FBS history, just one behind Northwestern - - but with one thrilling victory in Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship - a seesaw game that went down to the wire, with the Hoosiers ultimately leaving Miami with no doubt: they are the 'top dogs' of college football, and they accomplished that feat by completing one of the most remarkable two-year turnarounds in the history of the sport — Though there is sure to be much debate as to where this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stacks up against the sport's elite, including the 2021 Miami Hurricanes, 2019 LSU Tigers & 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide, the simple fact is this: Nothing like this has ever been done before. . .and by "this," we mean a HC lead a program once considered the "armpit of college football," to the promise land with unheralded recruits, many of which transferred to Indiana along with their head coach, Curt Cignetti. . .Q: Where does this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stack up against the rest of the pack for the 'GOAT' of D-I college football? — The Hoosiers' Heisman Trophy-winning QB, Fernando Mendoza - who will most likely and is projected to become the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - led Indiana to a national championship. . .and he did so by willing himself 12 yards into the end zone on a pivotal 4th-and-4 play with 9:18 remaining to give the Hoosiers a 24-14 lead over the Hurricanes — Mendoza, who completed 16 of 27 passing for 186 yards with no passing TDs or INTs, lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to maintain his balance, then launched himself horizontally and reached the ball over the goal line - an Indiana TD and a ready-made poster for a CFP national title run straight from a major motion picture. . .**NOTE: Prior to Mendoza, the last college football player to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season was Alabama WR DeVonta Smith in 2020 — and yet Indiana's 12-play, 75-yard drive ended with a jaw-dropping fourth-down rushing TD by a Hoosier, who grew up in Miami, that was never recruited by the 'Canes. . ."A Legend in the Making:" Indiana HC Curt Cignetti now has an FBS-best 27-2 overall record over the past two seasons after the Hoosiers went 9-27 in its final three seasons prior to Cignetti being hired — He has led the Hoosiers to their first two 10-win seasons in program history - as Indiana joined the 1984 Yale University football team as the only two programs in major college football history to finish a season with a 16-0 record — In such a tight game, Cignetti & the Hoosiers needed more than another Omar Cooper last-second TD or Heisman moment from Mendoza to pull off this gritty win: With 44 seconds left in regulation, and on the last play of Miami QB Carson Beck's collegiate career, he threw a deep ball down the left sideline & into double coverage, and it was intercepted by Indiana's Jamari Sharpe, stifling the 'Canes final attempt at a comeback & sealing Indiana's 27-21 win in the National Championship Game on Monday night - Beck finished the game with 232 yards passing & one TD in his final college game — With 5:04 left in the 3rd QTR, Indiana DL Mikail Kamara made a massive play on special teams: he blocked a Miami punt with his left hand and LB Isiah Jones recovered the ball in the end zone for a TD, giving the Hoosiers a 17-7 lead at the time — The Hoosiers entered Monday night's game having outscored opponents by 473 points this season, but the Miami Hurricanes proved that "The U" is back: With 6:37 left, the Hurricanes closed the gap to 24-21 with an eight-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard TD pass from Beck to star WR Malachi Toney - - Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. also played a great game, as he scored on a 57-yard rushing TD with 11:06 left in the 3rd QTR, which at the moment closed the gap to 10-7 — Miami's defense, led by DE Rueben Bain Jr., was aggressive early, applying much pressure on QB Fernando Mendoza, and forcing him to escape the pocket, and even laying a hit on him that led to a bloody lip - - There was one call that changed this game early as Bain made one critical mistake when he jumped offside on a critical 3rd-and-13 situation at midfield in the 2nd QTR - and on the following play, Indiana RB Kaelon Black rushed up the middle for a 20-yard gain & a first down at the Miami 23-yard line -- **NOTE: The 'Canes entered Monday night averaging seven (7) penalties accepted against them per game, which ranked 104th in the FBS - - For all of the attention surrounding Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers defense was equally as impressive in the first half, holding Miami to a total of 69 yards, the fewest by a team in the first half of a CFP championship game - and meanwhile, Miami's offense at times struggled to move the ball a yard, as the 'Canes offensive line, which had a size advantage of 53 lbs per player, was being outplayed, and QB Carson Beck became visibly frustrated by the harassing Indiana defense, until they converted on a 4th-and-1 play - - **NOTE: Indiana's win was also a major victory for the Big Ten Conference, as it was the first time since 1940-42, that teams from the conference won three straight national titles. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Indiana Hoosiers finishing the 2025-26 season with a perfect 16-0 record, and winning a national championship? Despite the tough loss, is it safe to say that "The U" is officially back?. . .

- 2026 College Football Transfer Portal Tracker: In this particular segment, JD and Spencer discuss many of the notable transfer(s) that occurred throughout two-week portal window; the following players are mentioned in this episode (**Tune in for more details!)

Oklahoma/NC State RB Hollywood Smothers --> Alabama --> _________________

Auburn WR Cam Coleman --> __________________

Auburn QB Deuce Knight --> __________________

Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola --> __________________

Miami/Alabama WR Isaiah "Zay" Horton --> _________________

Texas RB Cedric Baxter Jr. --> _______________________

Alabama/Tulane WR Shazz Preston --> _____________________

Alabama EDGE Keon Keeley --> _______________________

NC State WR Noah Rogers --> ________________________

Alabama DL James Smith + EDGE Qua Russaw --> _______________________

Auburn WR Malcolm Simmons --> __________________________

Alabama/Michigan RB Justice Haynes --> _______________________

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt --> __________________________

LSU/Auburn/Texas State/Tulane/Western Kentucky/Georgia State QB TJ Finley --> _________________ (**NOTE: No, this not a joke, Finley is transferring to his seventh program of his collegiate career). . .Q: What are your thoughts on TJ Finley transferring to a record seventh program?. . .

Penn State/Missouri QB Beau Pribula --> ______________________

USC QB Husan Longstreet --> _______________________

Ole Miss EDGE Princewill Umanmielen --> _____________________

- NFL - - 2026 NFL Divisional Playoffs Round Review/Breakdown: In this week's NFL Playoffs Round Review, JD and Spencer will analyze, review & breakdown each of the following divisional round games below - as well as discuss the major storylines surrounding each game:

AFC Divisional Playoff Game #1: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (**Controversial officiating?/Broncos suffer enormous loss). . .

NFC Divisional Playoff Game #1: No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (**Seahawks lose their leading TD scorer). . .

AFC Divisional Playoff Game #2: No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (**Eight (8) combined turnovers - the most in a playoff game since 2015). . .

NFC Divisional Playoff Game #2: No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.2 Chicago Bears (**QB Caleb Williams' unbelievable TD pass at the end of regulation/QB Matthew Stafford, the NFL MVP?). . .

- 2026 NFL Playoffs Conference Championship Round Preview & Predictions: In this segment, JD and Spencer preview both the AFC & NFC Conference Championship game(s) from this upcoming weekend; they also provide their individual, independent predictions for each of the following games: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!

AFC Championship Game: No.2 New England Patriots (14-3) at No.1 Denver Broncos (14-3) O/U41.5

NFC Championship Game: No.5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5) at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3) O/U47.5

- NFL (cont'd) - - Following the New York Giants' grab of former Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh, the second hire of the current NFL coaching cycle is official: The Atlanta Falcons hired former Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski as their next HC in Matt Ryan's first move as the team's President, the team announced Saturday night -- The Browns fired Stefanski after six seasons with the team, finishing with an overall record of 46-58, and he also led the Browns to two playoff appearances & earned two NFL Coach of the Year Awards -- **NOTE: Atlanta has not had a winning season since 2017, finishing 10-6 that year and being eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs -- Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski will keep incumbent DC Jeff Ulbrich in his role, the team announced Monday. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Falcons' hire of former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski as well as his decision to retain DC Jeff Ulbrich?. . .The Miami Dolphins have hired Green Bay Packers DC Jeff Hafley as their next HC, it was announced on Monday night -- Hafley was signed to a five-year contract with the Dolphins after spending the previous two seasons as the Packers' DC, during which Green Bay ranked 9th in yards allowed per game, 6th in yards per play and 8th in points allowed per game -- Hafley was also the head coach at Boston College, where he went 22-26 in four seasons -- **NOTE: The Dolphins have not won a playoff game in 25 seasons, the longest such drought in the NFL, and Jeff Hafley, 46, is the 8th straight HC hired by Miami who had no previous NFL head coaching experience, according to ESPN Research. . .The Tennessee Titans are hiring San Francisco 49ers DC Robert Saleh as their next HC, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday night -- In his second stint as a head coach after serving as the New York Jets HC from 2021 to 2024, Saleh is set to become the 20th HC in Oilers/Titans history and the seventh since the team moved/relocated to Nashville in 1997 -- **NOTE: The Titans have not made the playoffs since 2021 when they were the AFC's top seed and lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round under former HC Mike Vrabel. . .

- NBA - - "King James Aversion:"The NBA announced its starters for next month's All-Star Game on Monday - and, for the first time in a generation, Los Angeles Lakers star F LeBron James was not listed among them -- Per The Bleacher Report, for the first time in 21 years, James was NOT voted as an All-Star Game starter -- **Tune in for more details regarding the starters. . .Golden State Warriors G/F Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn right ACL in Monday night's 135-112 win over the Miami Heat, his agent told ESPN, effectively throwing the future direction of the franchise into question -- The injury comes as the surging Warriors (25-19) have won 12 of their past 16 games, beginning a climb back up the standings due in part to Butler's performance this season. . .Q: Will Jimmy Butler return to the Golden State Warriors next season or play elsewhere?. . .

- MLB - - The CF roster of the Baseball Hall of Fame grew deeper Tuesday with the announcement that Carlos Beltran & Andruw Jones were selected for induction -- Beltran was elected in his fourth year of eligibility after being named on 84.2% of the BBWAA ballots, easily clearing the 75% threshold for enshrinement, while Jones was named on 78.4% of the ballots, just clearing the bar to earn election in his ninth and second-to-last year of eligibility -- Beltran & Jones join Jeff Kent, who was elected back in December 2025 in the contemporary era committee voting, in the HOF Class of 2026 -- **NOTE: Beltran, a nine-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, is one of four MLB players to reach 2,700 hits, 400 homers, 1,500 runs and 300 steals, joining Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez -- Jones, who finished his MLB career as a 10-time Gold Glove winner with 434 HRs, burst onto the scene in 2006, when at age 19 he homered in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series for the Atlanta Braves against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 118.5 - "The Heidi Game Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025-26 NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal/Semifinal Round Catchup & National Championship Game Preview & Predictions Segment:

No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-8.5) O/U47.5

- "NFL > NIL:" Massive NIL offers from others schools couldn't delay QB Ty Simpson's NFL dreams, he told ON3 on Tuesday evening - Per multiple reports, Simpson rejected millions in NIL deals from programs, such as Tennessee & Ole Miss - who were offering an NIL deal worth $4M - as well as Miami, who upped the NIL offer to approximately $6.5M. . ."Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year. But I was a captain [at Alabama]. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes. I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama," per Ty Simpson on his decision to reject the NIL deals to remain the 2026 NFL Draft. . .Q: Where are other "Ty Simpson's" of college football with this level of loyalty? What are your thoughts on Ty Simpson rejecting millions of dollars in NIL deals for the 2026 NFL Draft?. . .As Wednesday was the official deadline for underclassmen not playing in the College Football Playoff championship game to declare for the NFL Draft, a decision loomed over Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore -- On Wednesday per ESPN's "SportsCenter," Moore announced his decision: he has decided to return to school for the 2026 season -- By going back to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to make nearly $50 million in guaranteed money (i.e., 2025 No.2 pick Travis Hunter made $46.65 million fully guaranteed and that number projects to go up this year) -- By returning to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to be one of the top overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, however, it's presumed that he will project near the top of a loaded QB class for 2027. . .Moore's return makes Oregon one of the favorites for the College Football national title in 2026-27 - - as the Ducks also retained multiple key pieces on the defensive line and a strong nucleus of young WRs & tailbacks -- In his first season as the Ducks' starter, Moore threw for 3,656 yards passing and 30 TDs for the Ducks, and he also completed 71.8% of his passes and threw just 10 INTs -- Moore's decision also comes after former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola announced that he would be transferring to Oregon, and TE Kenyon Sadiq & safety Dillon Thieneman are a few Oregon players to have declared for the NFL Draft -- Raiold is expected to serve as Moore's backup QB for the 2026 season, after which point, he potentially could be named the Ducks' starter. . .QB: Do you believe that Dante Moore, 20, made the right decision to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to the University of Oregon next season?. . .

- NFL - - 2026 NFL Playoff Wild-Card Round Review: In the following segment, JD & Spencer provide in-depth analysis & breakdown each of the NFL Playoffs Wild-Card Round games from the past weekend as well as discuss many of the notable storylines surrounding each of the games; the following NFL games from the NFC and AFC are discussed within this segment:

No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.4 Carolina Panthers

No.7 Green Bay Packers at No.2 Chicago Bears

No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.3 Philadelphia Eagles

No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.3 Jacksonville Jaguars

No.7 Los Angeles Chargers at No.2 New England Patriots

No.5 Houston Texans at No.4 Pittsburgh Steelers

- NFL (cont'd) - - "Mike T. Out, Mic Drop:" Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending a 19-year run with the franchise -- Tomlin, who had two years remaining on his contract, informed Steelers' players of his decision to walk away at their 2 p.m. ET meeting Tuesday, one day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the playoffs with a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round -- Tomlin, 53, is not expected to coach elsewhere in 2026, sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter -- Tomlin leaves Pittsburgh with the unprecedented accomplishment of never having a losing season in nearly two decades at the helm of the franchise -- he clinched his 200th career NFL victory in Week 16 against the Lions and tied Chuck Noll for ninth with 193 regular-season wins in a Week 18 victory against the Ravens that clinched the AFC North title -- At age 36, he led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII in his second season and, at the time, was the youngest HC to raise the Lombardi Trophy, and he returned to the Super Bowl a year later but fell to QB Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers - and Tomlin never made it back in his final 15 seasons as HC. . .For all his accomplishments, Tomlin ended his historic tenure in Pittsburgh with an frustrating nine-year postseason victory drought -- Marked by improbable wins and hard-to-fathom losses, Tomlin's final season was a microcosm of his nearly two-decade tenure in Pittsburgh -- With Tomlin's departure, the Steelers will begin the search for just their fourth HC since 1969. . .**NOTE: Prior to his resignation, Tomlin was the longest-tenured HC of a single North American professional sports franchise -- Tomlin's record over 19 seasons with the Steelers: 193-114-2. . .Q: What are a few potential candidates that Art Rooney & the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise should consider to interview as Mike Tomlin's replacement?. . .John Harbaugh and the New York Giants have finalized an agreement to make him their next HC, reportedly signing a five-year deal worth approximately $100 million -- Harbaugh, 63, spent the past 18 seasons as HC of the Baltimore Ravens, going 180-113 and winning the Super Bowl before he was firest last week after missing out on the 2025 NFL Playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Giants' hire of John Harbaugh as their new HC?. . .2026 NFL Playoff Divisional Round Predictions: In this segment, JD & Spencer each give their indiviual & independent predictions for each of the following NFL Playoff Divisional Round games scheduled to occur this upcoming weekend:

No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (-7) O/U44.5

No.5 Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at No.2 Chicago Bears O/U48.5

No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (-1.5) O/U45.5

No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (-3) O/U40.5

- NBA - - "The Beard Riseth:" In his 17th season, James Harden passed Shaquille O'Neal for ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list - - as the LA Clippers guard made a three-pointer early in the 3rd QTR Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular-season game -- Shaq finished his NBA career with 28,596 points in 1,207 games played over 19 seasons - as Harden called it a "true honor," and a "testament to the work that I put in,"-- Harden faces a steep climb to the next spot: Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over a 14-year career, while LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. . .Q: How many more seasons do you anticipate James "The Beard" Harden playing in the league beyond the 2025-26 NBA season? If he elected to play two to three seasons, do you think "The Beard" passes "Mr. 100" for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 117 - "The A-Gap Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - "A Final Challenge:" Following the previous two scandals in Ann Arbor, most recently, a scandal that would embroil the Wolverines athletic department, and eventually lead to Sherrone Moore being fired after just two seasons with the program, the University of Michigan needed a stabilizing force to help bring both its embattled football program & the athletic department back to a level of respectability among its peers - - And when looking around the market, there were very few obvious prospects available: Alabama's Kalen DeBoer & Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham both publicly announced they were returning, while Louisville's Jeff Brohm was not seriously involved in the process, according to multiple sources - and several others, such as Vanderbilt's Clark Lea & BYU's Kalani Sitake, signed long-term extensions prior to Michigan's head coaching vacancy - - On Friday, Michigan took the first step in doing so: By hiring future Hall of Famer Kyle Whittingham as the program's 22nd head football coach - - Whittingham, 66, is one of the most successful coaches of this era: Whittingham has a 177-88 career record, two Pac-12 Conference titles & a Mountain West crown as the HC at the University of Utah, where he had spent the last 21 seasons - - Per ESPN's Pete Thamel & Dan Wetzel, Whittingham's deal, which is reportedly 75% guaranteed, is comprised of a five-year deal with an average salary of $8.2 million per year - - Beyond his accomplishments, and perhaps most important, Whittingham has maintained a spotless reputation throughout his standout career, with his teams featuring very few (if any) scandals, and a strong team culture - - Now, at Michigan, Whittingham will have more resources to win than in any other moment in his legendary career - - Granted, Whittingham's age is a considerable topic of conversation as it should be, but there is very little debate that this hire was a short-term decision - - Whittingham informed his Utah team on Friday that he will not coach the team in their upcoming SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year's Eve, and Utah AD Mark Harlan relieved Whittingham of his duties, to allow him to travel to Orlando, FL, to get to work as the HC for the Michigan Wolverines. . .**NOTE: The No.18 Michigan Wolverines are scheduled to face off against the No.13 Texas Longhorns in Orlando on New Year's Eve in the 2026 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - - However, three of the last four HCs at Michigan failed to make it through four full seasons - - Q: What are your thoughts on Michigan's hiring of former Utah HC Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines' 22nd head football coach? Do you believe that Kyle Whittingham can lead Michigan to another national title?. . . NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Round Preview & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four matchups from the Quarterfinal Round of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief discussion of the following CFP second round game(s):

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-9.5)         O/U42.5

Capital One Orange Bowl: No.5 Oregon Ducks (-2.5) vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders          O/U52.5

Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential: No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-7)      O/U47.5

Allstate Sugar Bowl: No.6 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No.3 Georgia Bulldogs (-6.5)                 O/U55.5

- NCAA College Football Bowl Week #4 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #4 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the fourth week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!

ReliaQuest Bowl: No.23 Iowa vs. No.14 Vanderbilt(-4)              O/U46.5

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Arizona State vs. Duke (-3)                O/U49.5

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No.18 Michigan vs. No.13 Texas (-7.5)          O/U47.5

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: No.14 Utah (-14) vs. Nebraska       O/U50.5

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Texas State (-13.5)     O/U58.5

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Navy (-7) vs. Cincinnati                O/U54.5

Duke's Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State (-3)            O/U53.5

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl: No.17 Arizona (-3) vs. SMU          O/U51.5

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 116 - The One-Hundred Six-teenth Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Playoff First Round Review & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four first-round matchups of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief recap & discussion of the following CFP first-round game(s):

No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.8 Oklahoma Sooners

No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies

No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels

No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks

- NCAA College Football Bowl Week #3 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #3 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the third week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!

GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (-10.5)      O/U43.5

Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota (-2.5)                         O/U44.5

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: FIU vs. UTSA (-6)                    O/U59.5

Go Bowling Military Bowl: Pittsburgh (-10) vs. East Carolina            O/U56.5

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson (-3)           O/U48.5

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: UConn vs. Army (-8.5)                      O/U43.5

Pop-Tarts Bowl: No.22 Georgia Tech vs. No.12 BYU (-4.5)                O/U56.5

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State (-6)           O/U41.5

Isleta New Mexico Bowl: No.25 North Texas (-3) vs. San Diego State      O/U53.5

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: No.19 Virginia vs. Missouri (-4)               O/U44.5

Kinder's Texas Bowl: No.21 Houston (-3) vs. LSU                   O/U41.5

JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern (-7) vs. Appalachian State      O/U59.5

Radiance Tech. Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (-9.5) O/U51.5

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Tennessee (-2.5) vs. Illinois         O/U61.5

Valero Alamo Bowl: No.16 USC (-6.5) vs. TCU                   O/U55.5

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 115 - The "Music City Miracle" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025 NCAA College Basketball [Better Late Than Never] Season Preview: In this opening segment, JD & Spencer preview & analyze the 2025-26 NCAA Division I College Basketball Season, in particular focusing on the Power 5 Conferences (i.e., Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, ACC & SEC) and providing a thorough breakdown of each individual conference as well as projecting which program(s) will go on to be crowned conference champions & how many teams per conference they expect to advance to the 64-team field of this year's NCAA Tournament. . .NCAA College Football: "Ridin' Into the Sunset on His Harley:" Kyle Whittingham,66, the all-time winningest HC in the history of the University of Utah's football program, will step down from leading the Utes and will conclude his highly successful tenure in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Dec. 31st - - Whittingham, the head football coach at the University of Utah since 2004, has been the true embodiment of the culture & identity of Utah Football for the past three decades, led Utah to two Rose Bowl appearances, three conference championships, an undefeated season capped by a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama in 2008 - - In his 32 seasons in Salt Lake City, Whittingham has coached in 391 games and contributed to a program-record 262 wins, with a head coaching record of 177-88 (.668) - - Whittingham, the second-longest tenured HC in FBS college football, he has earned three National Coach of the Year awards, including the AFCA and Bear Bryant Awards in 2008, and the Dodd Trophy in 2019 - - Following the Utes' appearance in the 2025 Las Vegas Bowl, Whittingham will be formally replaced by Utes DC Morgan Scalley, who has finalized a deal to become the program's next head coach, sources told ESPN - - Q: What are your thoughts on Kyle Whittingham stepping down as the HC at the University of Utah following a 21-year run? Do you expect Kyle Whittingham to coach elsewhere or to 'ride off into the sunset' on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle? What are your thoughts on Utah DC Morgan Scalley being promoted as Whittingham's successor?. . .Washington State & Missouri OC Kirby Moore have finalized a deal to make him the Cougars' next HC - - Moore, aged 35, a native of Prosser, WA, and the younger brother of New Orleans Saints HC Kellen Moore, he spent the past three seasons at the University of Missouri on Eliah Drinkwitz's staff - - Replacing Jimmy Rogers, who left to become the head football coach for the Iowa State Cyclones, the Cougars are 6-6 this year with one-score losses to Ole Miss (No.6 in the CFP bracket), Virginia (ACC runner-up) & James Madison (No.12 in the CFP bracket) - - Q: What are your thoughts on Washington State's hiring of Missouri OC Kirby Moore as the program's next HC?. . .2025 College Football Awards: Numerous college football players & coaches received individual accolades on Friday night at an Awards Ceremony in New York City for their efforts throughout the 2025-26 college football season, and JD & Spencer discuss the winners of a select few of the following collegiate awards presented on Friday night:

John Mackey Award (best TE): Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Doak Walker Award (best RB): Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Davey O'Brien National QB Award (best signal-caller): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Maxwell Award (player of the year): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Biletnikoff Award (best WR): Makai Lemon, USC

Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award: Curt Cignetti, Indiana (**first repeat winner in 59 years)

Heisman Trophy (most prestigious award/the sport's highest individual honor): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (**first Indiana player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy)

- NCAA College Football Week Sixteen Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway from the single game that Week Sixteen had to offer - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap & discussion of the following Week Sixteen matchup:

"Battle for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy:" Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen

- NCAA College Football Bowl Week #2 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #2 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the second week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (-4)   O/U49.5

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Memphis vs. NC State (-5.5)   O/U57.5

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State (-3)     O/U52.5

Bush's Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo vs. Louisville (-8.5)           O/U44.5

New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky (-9.5) vs. Southern Miss       O/U55.5

Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl: UNLV (-4) vs. Ohio                    O/U62.5

Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl: Cal (-1.5) vs. Hawai'i                 O/U54.5

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Preview: In this segment, JD & Spencer will preview each of the four upcoming CFP game(s) & will provide their individual/independent predictions for each outcome; the following CFP first-round matchup(s) are previewed in this particular segment:

Friday, Dec. 19th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST:

No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide (-1.5) at No.8 Oklahoma           O/U40.5

**The winner will advance to face No.1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1st.

Saturday, Dec. 20th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST:

No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies (-3)         O/U51.5

**The winner will advance to face No.2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31st.

No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels (-17.5)        O/U56.5

**The winner will advance to face No.3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1st.

No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks (-21)        O/U48.5

**The winner will advance to face No.4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1st.

- NFL - - NFL Week 15 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games & major storylines from Week 15 of the regular season:

Thursday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (**Falcons overcame 19 penalties & a 28-14 4th-QTR deficit to damage Tampa Bay's postseason hopes)

Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams (**Rams clinch playoff berth for the third straight season after rallying in the second half)

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (**Bills rally from a 21-0 deficit to prevent the Patriots from clinching the AFC East division title)

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (**Chiefs' two-time MVP QB Patrick Mahomes sustains torn ACL in left knee (out for the remainder of the season) & Kansas City were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014)

Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos (**Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons suffers a non-contact injury/torn ACL (out for season)/Broncos extend winning streak to 11 games & clinch playoff berth)

"A Jaguar on the Prowl:" Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence accounted for six TDs, including a career-high five passing, becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to record five passing TDs and one rushing TD in a single game - as Jacksonville overwhelmed the New York Jets from start to finish in a 48-20 drubbing on Sunday to extend their winning streak to five games. . .

. . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, who broke free on a goal-line bootleg run in the 2nd QTR with nothing but the end zone in front of him, he slowed down. . .Holding the ball low as he crossed the goal line, McCarthy appeared to be performing a modified "Griddy" dance, which was made popular by Vikings teammate/star WR Justin Jefferson - - While praising McCarthy's performance after he threw for a career-high 250 passing yards, Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell made it very clear at the postgame press conference that he did not approve of the celebration - - And McCarthy, who has endured heavy criticism throughout his first season as a starter, said that he had been warned prior to the game to "avoid" the celebration. . .Q: Do you think there is some friction brewing in Minnesota between HC Kevin O'Connell & [rookie] QB J.J. McCarthy, or is this just a "minor bump" in the road for a young QB still adjusting to playing in the NFL?. . .

- NFL (cont'd) - - After Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday that he was contemplating making a change at the QB position, he finally made a move: The Miami Dolphins announced on Wednesday that it is benching QB Tua Tagovailoa and turning to rookie QB Quinn Ewers, per sources to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Tagovailoa threw his NFL-worst 15th INT in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, which eliminated Miami (6-8) from playoff contention - - Ewers' first start will come on Sunday against Joe Burrow & the Cincinnati Bengals. . .Q: Do you expect for Miami to cut/release QB Tua Tagovailoa at the end of the NFL regular season after signing him to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in 2024? What about HC Mike McDaniel - is he more likely to be the Dolphins' HC next season or to coach elsewhere?. .

- Miscellaneous - - WWE: Pro wrestling superstar, John Cena, ended his 24-year WWE tenure at Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C last Saturday night - by doing what he hadn't done in more than twenty years: he tapped out. . .as Cena submitted to former two-time WWE heavyweight champion Gunther at "Saturday Night's Main Event" in a stellar final match that had the crowd hanging on to every moment, hoping that Cena would go out/retire with a win - - Instead, Cena's tap-out signaled to fans that his time is finally over, and that he is going out on his own terms - - Cena, who became one of the most beloved wrestlers on the WWE roster & a 17-time World Champion, holds the record for the most title reigns recognized by the sport - - Rather than give a speech, Cena left his wristbands & shoes in the ring, walked up the entrance ramp, turned & gave one last salute to the camera & his fans. . Q: What were your thoughts on John Cena's final WWE match & the way in which his pro wrestling career ended?. . .